Rainbow World
by solbursthyoma
Summary: My Mother called it the "Skyline Views". A place where one could see the chaos, the cosmos, the neutrality, and the moderation. And three people, my Mother, my Sister, and myself, stood at the center of this three pointed star surrounded by a circle. That was the "Skyline Views", and those who were there...were the true Aces of the Shooting Stars.
1. Rainbow Eyes

**_You're probably thinking, "who the hell is this joker?" Well it's that one procrastinator a year ago. I don't feel worthy enough to do a reintroduction so I'll get to the point. I've been using ao3 instead of this place and stuck with it. The most important reason for switching is because it had better "tagging" options for a story like this. It's only now that I've decided to bring the work from there to here. Now the important point. I have changed a bit of the story like the title and summary, but not much has changed. It's basically cleaning up and improving a bit, so there was no real point to starting over._**

 ** _Tldr, besides this one single author note, I'm copying everything from my ao3 and pasting here._**

 ** _And finally, I do apologize for keeping you all in the dark._**

* * *

 _"_ _Your eyes... They're so colorful..."_

 _"…"_

 _"Can I... stare at them forever?_ _"_

…

 _.._

 _._

 _"Say my name first. Who am I? Who is it that holds these rainbow eyes?"_

* * *

Her Majesty is 13.8 billion years old. Before there was even "us", there was "them". Her Majesty is the cosmos, and that cosmos expanded infinitely. The Stars, the Darkness, the Colors. They are the cosmos itself. It's thanks to "them" that "we" came into being.

"We", the fourth element. Life.

Not knowing of "our" origins, "we" looked up at the sky to marvel and appreciate the cosmos and Her Majesty's majestic mystique. I want to believe that it was "our" starry-eyes that led "us" to blossom into magnificence. Perhaps even of the same magnificence that the cosmos possessed.

I wonder... Did Her Majesty's grand expansion into the unknown intended for the fourth element? Was she hoping for a "foreign" party to notice the beauty that she and the cosmos worked so hard to form?

Ah... It certainly did get quite chaotic afterwards, especially after 10 million years ago. Yes, I want to believe that too. I want to believe that "they" were happy "we" prospered because of "them". It would explain why that "happiness" surpassed their prismatic splendor, even if for a moment.

Don't worry. I saw it. And I'm sure many others saw it too.

Her Majesty and the cosmos. "Our" eyes were on "you", and "you" became something much more. "You" became "our" guides to the past, present, and future.

No matter the distance, we are eternally connected.

* * *

In the middle of the stormy clouds, a red circle is expanding outwards. It possessed little concern for the storm, for the storm is silencing itself wherever that red circle was expanding into. When it finished expanding, it must've been at least 7 miles across, literally carving its mark into the sky and a mental mark on the onlookers. Even between the distance of the sky and the ground, the onlookers could clearly see a symbol within that circle.

A 3-pointed red star.

The ocean was forcibly being pushed back around the portal despite its position high up in the sky. Not just the ocean and sky it seems, as the portal's outward force attempts to knock the guards from their feet. Those who were just arriving to see the commotion were unprepared and appropriately pushed back to the walls. Any object not bound to anything is bound to be dangerous now.

* * *

A woman in tattered clothes sleeps inside a large, cylindrical prison cell. She seems to be a light sleeper, as she lazily opens her eyes when a red glow covers nearly the entire cell through a small window high up the cell.

"Ngh..."

The prisoner rubs her eyes and immediately focuses all attention on the red glow then notices the source of the red glow. And it was at that specific moment that all the atoms of her eyes were reconfigured for one purpose – to place all focus and emphasis on that red glow. In doing so, her eyes reflected a little bit of the blood red color, even just a bit of red was able to accentuate her true nature better than the color of yellow on her eyes.

"The Scarlet Night...?"

It might. She knew all too well about the "Scarlet Night", night time blanketed in malicious blood red that appeared to emanate from the moon. A Scarlet Night also appeared 3 years before, a particular date that sent this woman into prison. But she was far off. Oh, so far off.

* * *

"...!"

"...?!"

"..."

Whatever the guards were saying to each other was lost in the fierce winds, but they say actions speak louder than words. Several guards pointed to the sky, to the red portal and several others tracked down the pointed fingers' object of interest. From the way their fingers slowly aimed downward, it was clear the red circle wasn't what they were interested in anymore.

They pointed at the body falling from the red circle. Or perhaps it wasn't just an ordinary red circle anymore. Likely a portal. Because as soon as the body exited the circle, the circle shattered. It shattered much like how glass shatters, visually and even audibly speaking. Yes, even audibly. Sure, the circle shattering into many pieces and subsequently dematerializing on their way down like the embers of a bonfire was impressive, or maybe akin to red snow, but the moment that body exited the circle, the moment that portal shattered, it was hell for the ears. Those visited by these mysterious circles would know for sure that they were portals.

The fingers that aimed at the body kept lowering at a steady pace, despite closing in on the ocean. That would suggest the body had already reached terminal velocity the moment it left the portal. The fingers' gradual descent mirrored the gradual change on the people's faces, from shock... to more shock. As the body got closer, it was easier, just a tad bit easier to identify it. A body... nay... A skeleton? With wings? Its descent was uneventful. It did not thrash. It did not even attempt to hinder its speed. It was lifeless.

...

..

.

And into the water it goes, then emerging into the surface, its movements and position in the water solely dictated by the current. Normal serenity once again blankets the world. With the elements of nature coming to peace with each other, the guards can finally regain composure and survey the sky as well as...whatever it was that came out of that bloody red circle.

"The praetor exorcist should be informed of this."

"Why would he care? Tending to the Abbey's and his sister's whim are all he does."

"Nature itself was wise to respond accordingly. Why wouldn't he?"

The banter of the guards lessened as a few of them left to inform a higher up. A praetor exorcist, they called him.

"We need to retrieve whatever came out of that red circle. Pick up a ship and get in. The rest will stay here to survey and repair the place."

At this... common guard's command, the rest scrambled to fulfill their mission. As for the ship, it didn't need to sail far to reach the object of interest, as it seems to have followed a current heading for the island. But...something's not right... A guard leans over the ship and inspects the body.

"Is...this it?"

A question marks ends his sentence as if unsure of what to make of whatever he was seeing. Surely he didn't forget the object's unique appearance? However, it is understandable he questions himself... The others join his inquisitive stares. What they saw wasn't a skeletal looking figure with wings.

Gently swaying back and forth was an unconscious body wearing a red and black coat.

* * *

Back on the island, a few of the guards adorned old fashion telescopes to observe the ocean, particularly the ship and whatever they're hauling back with them. Due to zoning out, tiredness, or just plain gazing elsewhere, it wasn't clear what the ship brought in with them, but even a watchman on the edge of falling asleep will question as to why the ship hasn't turned around yet. They retrieved whatever fell from the sky, right? Who the heck wants to stay in the stormy seas...?

"What the hell are they doing...?" A guard says to himself.

Not this guy apparently. A sigh at the end of every word and a particularly extended "hell" suggests this guy was very tired. Or thought staying out there in the torrential rain and sea was a stupid thing to do.

"What's going on? Why aren't they heading back yet?"

Some of the guards stuck on cleaning duty halted in their tracks to look out into the ocean and the ship that stayed there even after hauling a prize catch.

* * *

The unconscious body was ungracefully sprawled across the deck. His facial expressions suggest he was in pain. Likely still in pain. He was absolutely drenched. Lengthy black hair clung to his head as the tips dripped water.

The guards formed a circle around this mysterious body, each expressing gestures of confusion. Some scratching their heads, others stroking their chin, and a few talked amongst themselves.

"So...is this it?"

"See for yourself. Does the man look like a skeleton with wings?"

The sentence was...slightly dripping with unnecessary sarcasm, but the one on the receiving end was not having it and proceeded to examine the body. She checked for all vital signs of life starting with pulses.

"Nothing. He's dead."

"Hitting the water at that speed and at that height would've killed anyone. Even a demon."

Everyone looked at the guard, some with question marks on their faces and some who just realized what the remark actually meant. The female guard looks to the body again, this time with a small aura of malice.

"A demon huh... Only one way to found out."

She started to take the clothes off the dead body. As if demonizing him wasn't enough, now they're looting a dead body. His clothes no less! And of course, someone took the opportunity to comment on this scene.

"How scandalous. Disrobing a dead male demon in front of people. What would your husband say about this?"

He earned a few chuckles. The atmosphere was much too tense to survive in. The storm, the portal, its forceful appearance, and a dead body all contributed to an interesting albeit scary mood. However, the female guard just sighed in reply, but a very audible gasp followed the sigh and the others did the same. They didn't need to take off his pants too to realize what this body was.

"A demon..."

The only thing she did was unbutton the shirt and open it up. Everything else stayed intact. And yet, even when largely clothed, the chest area alone suggests the body is heavily defaced everywhere else. Firstly, were small but numerous, circular bruises. But on to the more...unique marks. Black scars, numerous and vary in size. They weren't the kind of scars obtained from battle. It was the kind of scars that would appear because of an "infection" of sorts. And those black areas were weird, as they are given a sort of cosmic theme, as if the body was a window to outer space. Like... someone took a wallpaper of outer space and glued it to the poor boy. And if that wasn't enough, the same skeleton figure they saw from afar is mixed in with the cosmic theme, at the very least, the chest part was mixed in... God knows where else the skeleton appears in. His arms? His hands?

Truly, this is a "demon." Right?

* * *

"You said the man's body was abnormal?"

A blondie with eyes that hold innocence and blindingly white clothes that suggest angelic traits...

"Yes. Parts of his body is missing, but the body's structure remains normal."

"When it comes to demons, nothing is normal. I need not waste time examining the body for myself. Dispose of him in the underground cell with the girl. The prison is overpopulated as it is, so she can deal with him."

Angelic he may seem, innocent he may appear to be, but his actions and his words are proving to be contradictory. And his voice holds a degree of authority. Perhaps this is the Oscar they spoke of earlier? How unfortunate that such an angelic looking figure is stuck commandeering a prison. An island prison no less.

* * *

Two guards drag the body by his arms and were surprised at how fast they were moving.

"He's lighter than I thought. I think it only takes one person to drag him."

"I vote myself out."

The guard was quick to respond as he lets go of the body, leaving his fellow colleague to do the dirty work. Meanwhile all the lone guard could do was shrug. A gesture to symbolize his acceptance of defeat.

"Well, at least the body is light."

He opens the door and soon, we realize why he needs optimism.

"Aw yea! Fresh meat baby!"

"Woohoo! Is he with us or with the demon downstairs?!"

"Hell, he'll die the moment he meets the demon!"

Prison inmates and their banter swarmed the large cell block. Ruckus was commonplace. People shook the bars, yelled at each other, threw stuff at the guard, you name it. Well at least 2 things are certain. They hated the guard, and they loved fresh meat. All the guard can do is hope the body he's carrying gets even lighter. Anything to get out of this place. Hell, at least get him back to his post. Even the prison itself is heaven compared to this particular cell block. It's always this cell block.

"Screw this place. Seriously." He angrily mutters to himself.

The viewpoint focuses on a bizarrely dressed girl that one can easily mistake as either a witch or a jester. She eyes the body all the way until the guard reached the door on the other side of the cell block. She seemed oddly suspicious of the body, evident by her quiet "Hmmm..." Then bounces back to what we can assume is her real personality.

"He looks so frail! Bet ya all the gald I have that he won't last too long with the demon downstairs!" The girl cheerily says to a fellow inmate with an evil smirk. If looks alone can send someone to prison, then it's understandable that she's here. That's how evil her smile was.

* * *

From all the way down there in that cold, lonely cell, the imprisoned demon woman could hear the commotion in the cell block. It can only mean one thing...

"You've got a new friend. Eat up."

Fresh meat.

A voice from above. Followed by the dropping of a dead body. Followed by the sound of the impact. The prisoner's expression never changed. This was routine for her. But one must wonder how long she's been imprisoned to remain stoic in the face of dead bodies raining from the heavens.

"Krgh..."

He wakes up.

From the other side of the cell, the woman analyzes her "prey". It was an easy target, albeit fully clothed. Well, at least they kept his clothes on him. He was clutching his head in pain and his entire being tries to stand up, taking on a struggle that would be fit to hold Earth in place instead.

*Fwoosh!*

There was no time to react. Foot meets face and face meets darkness. Unconsciousness.

...

...

...

Huh?

Odd... Wasn't he supposed to be dead?

* * *

The woman hovers over the sleeping man and without hesitation, grabs the body with her...giant red claw on her left arm...and squeezes. Whatever she was doing...was it working?

"...!?"

Widened eyes represent disbelief. She executed the gesture, so it's safe to assume that whatever she was doing with her giant red claw didn't work.

Maybe...disturbing the dead wasn't such a good idea.

* * *

He slowly opens his eyes. Those red and black eyes patterned after a sunburst. His vision is blurry. A woman on the other side of the cell was watching him. Well, watching is an underwhelming word. She was more like sizing up the man, judging what he tastes like before inevitably devouring him. Predatorial. That was the word most appropriate for her eyes. But the man didn't notice that. Nor did he even notice there was another person in the cell at all. He was much too busy clutching his head. It was in bad shape. So he looked for the nearest thing that can at least be remotely called a "seat". A quick scan was all it took to make a small sound of disapproval.

"…"

So he took a "seat" opposite to the woman. It was the cleanest part of the cell, he reasoned with himself. The pain was still settling in nice and comfy in his body and to finally sit down was euphoric, so the man thought the best way to describe this euphoria was to ungracefully plop onto the ground, back grinding on the wall, shoes grinding on the ground.

And finally, he was seated. He wrapped his arms around his bent knee and placed his chin there. His gaze pointed slightly downwards. Spreading on his face was a small smile. This was his look of contentment. The immediate circumstance nor the circumstance of the world was of little concern to him. He was new to this world, but he can proudly proclaim this.

 _All was right in the world._

That's what he thought.

His gaze was on the ground, and raising it just a little bit would place the woman in his direct line of sight. However, his contentment overwrote his sense of urgency and his sense of the world outside. Even if the woman can be seen, she simply didn't exist for him at the moment. It was just him and this calm darkness.

...

But contentment of this level rarely lasted. Some things are just too good to be true, or too good to exist long enough to be enjoyed. The man closed his eyes and nodded to himself. He acknowledged the fleeting feeling of satisfaction. That way, he can finally accept that there is a world beyond his mind.

A world he would try to confront straight in the eyes. With a smile, of course.

 **"Hello there."**

*Smile*

And now that the man acknowledged her and the space she occupied, he could now see everything clearly. There was a makeshift throne. A throne made of corpses. Some normal corpses. Some not-so normal corpses. And whether or not those "not-so" normal corpses were a result of decomposition or... something else... remains to be seen. But for sure, the man has never seen "not-so" normal corpses with horns sticking out of them or other abnormal features. And the woman who sat on that throne had her arms crossed, a finger tapping her arm out of impatience or growing anger, and a scowl that fit her character perfectly. A closer look at her would help... He couldn't quite make out her eyes and their color...

Despite all of that, the man can still greet her like he would greet any other stranger. With a hello, and with a smile, of course.

"Hello yourself."

So spoke the woman with a cheeky tone. A voice that can only be coated with years and years of arrogance. Her finger tapped faster. She was confident and angry. He didn't mind it at all. He pressed on, despite the malevolence so thick in the air it could be cut with a knife.

 **"What's your name?"**

He lifted his head off his knee and his arms wrapped it closer to his chest. Still, the smile remained.

"And yours?"

And still, she remained persistent on her stance and her aura. Her impatience was bubbling over. What were the point of these questions? These pleasantries?! She knew this man was hiding something! Just spit it out! Say something pertaining to your mysteriousness! Her mind was a storm but kept a surprisingly serene persona. But any psychologist worth their salt could detect the chaos within her.

 **"My name? Hm..."**

*Blink*

*Blink*

Now his eyes landed slightly upward in mock contemplation. If he could, he would curl his index finger and place it below his chin to complete this "thinking" gesture, but he kept his arms around his knee. Although, for a slight moment, he seemed confused. Like the question didn't have an easy answer, which was strange considering any normal person could answer that question without hesitation. Even the woman noticed. It was just a small distraction, though. Small enough that she noticed something else.

His voice... It was... unnaturally soothing. This particular cell had the abnormal feature and audacity to echo sounds back and forth for what seems like an eternity, distorting them in the process. She was thankful this cell was isolated, lest it turns into an auditory nightmare. But him? His voice was serene. Even as he spoke from the other side, it felt as if he was whispering right next to her. Quiet, but clear, comforting, a voice one would use to lull even the worst of prisoners, yes, including that woman, into a deep slumber. It was a welcoming treat for her, an eternal prisoner of this god-awful place. It was a shame she couldn't place a vessel for that voice. The dim lighting and his distance made it hard to see him. Really, the best she could see was that black mop he calls hair, that gigantic coat, and red eyes. Twice a shame she couldn't place more details on his red eyes, curious as to what story laid behind them.

However, what mattered to her most was getting relevant answers and interrupting his train of thought placed at the very bottom of her priority list.

"You're not dying, you know."

Hm... Indeed. Why would that be?

He managed to answer his own question pertaining to his name... (Hyoma... right? That was his name...) but stayed silent for the sake of enjoying the silence. So to have some random stranger drop such a bombshell... the man could only return his gaze towards her. His smile finally removed from his mask. Was it because his precious silence disappeared, or did she hit a sensitive nail on the head? ...Well it's worked countless times before, it'll probably work again...

 **"You're joking."**

...playing dumb that is.

The woman slowly stands up from her "throne", hovering her bandaged left hand, opened as if it was ready to brawl. Her smirk slowly grew bigger. Oh she's ready to throw down. Sheesh, this woman does not joke around. Getting into fights seems to be this graceful and dignified woman's hobby.

"Want me to prove it?"

In an "act" of panic, the man, Hyoma, as he recalled his name was, in contrast, stood up with frantic worry. His waving hands shielded his body while also helping to diffuse the situation. He had no weapons, see? So what better way to display pacifism than to open your empty hands and shake them in front of your defenseless body?

 **"N-No, no...! I believe you...! I do! Really...!"**

Even in the midst of a crisis, still his voice remained serenely. It had increased in speed, but his voice remained at consistent audible levels. Still quiet. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to think that he'd been in this cell before, knowing it's nightmarish properties and thus keeping his voice close to a whisper.

It didn't matter whether the woman's claims about his immortality was true. If agreement means ceasing hostilities, the man would do so. Geez, he's been nothing but happiness and smiles and this is what he gets? Not good, not good at all. He was just a simple traveler, hell, even shorter in stature than the woman, with no weapons and an expensive assortment of clothes, all of which aren't good for fighting. Oh goodness, the price for those clothes too.

She'll have none of those.

The woman lunges at him and he is... Wait, his hands are still waving in front of him. Does he not realize-!

*Fwoosh*

And for the second time on that day, he receives a roundhouse kick and crashes into the ground. He was clutching whatever "seemed to hurt". Hyoma slowly gets up, grunts and all that expresses pain. His smile returned at the worst time and it was really getting on the woman's nerves. So she responded accordingly. By grabbing him by the throat and even lifting him off the ground. How strong was this woman?!

"I want answers."

To display her dominance over the situation even further, the woman unleashes her bandaged left arm's giant red claw, ready to tear apart at the helpless lad.

 **"…!"**

You won't get anything out of him if you keep doing that. How's he supposed to talk if you got your giant claw around his frail body? Neither his voice nor his body followed his commands. He couldn't thrash around, he couldn't speak. Hyoma tried to pry her claw out. His eyes are shut tight, but one of them manages to sneak a peek at his attacker.

 _ **"Yellow eyes..."**_

It was important to observe that detail. Yes, even in the midst of suffocation and the real possibility of death. It was very important to know what eyes she possessed and what color dyed her eyes. Very important indeed to know her eyes of yellow were of normal patterns.

Anger kept rising as the woman tightens her grip on Hyoma's throat and Hyoma again plays along, emulating the expression of suffocation.

"It's Velvet. Remember that when you fall unconscious again."

Oh, what perfect timing. Today was just full of perfect timings. Deciding to part ways with her identity right when Hyoma was at the edge of consciousness.

 _ **"Velvet... Hm..."**_

Just as the woman, Velvet, she is called, seems to think Hyoma was about to pass out, another woman, one in a mask and clad in white and blue, lands gracefully onto the cell.

"Velvet, that's enough. You're going to kill him."

The masked woman casted a fire spell on the emotionally charged woman's arms to let Hyoma go. Well, it didn't seem to matter. The voice of the intruder was familiar. So quick did Velvet's head twist around to set her eyes elsewhere, on the woman. So true to her target that Velvet was perfect in zeroing her eyes on the mask without so much as an error. Her reaction time would be enough to make most predators jealous. And equally as impressive is her restraint. This was Velvet's prime target, but her claws had yet to sink into her neck. But she knew just as well her horrific powers are enough to bring this tiny, dark world crashing down. And of course, she knew too well her target wouldn't go down easy without going all out. It was frustrating that Velvet knew everything.

"Where is he?"

The masked woman doesn't answer. She simply looks away, searching for a different, albeit irrelevant answer.

"...A lot has happened since then. I've no more connection to him."

Then, she returns to look at Velvet, hoping for a favorable reaction. It wasn't the best of answers, and side stepping the issue was never a good idea with Velvet. She of all people should know that, considering the history between the two... Or at least, what we can assume is heavy history between the two... considering the weight behind the masked woman's voice...

"And I'm suppose to just believe that?

The masked woman gazes down slightly, thinking of where to begin but it seems something else caught her attention because she began scanning the surroundings not out of contemplation, but to search.

"That man... where is he?"

Good question. Velvet follows suit with the observations. Nothing. He's nowhere to be found.

"Hm... Probably escaped using the ladder."

What a simple answer.

"That fast? Without us noticing?"

"Spare me your confusion. This prison is made for the worst of the worst, especially for demons. Whatever abnormality he has is normal for us."

Velvet was growing impatient as usual. She just wants the damn information already. And it seems the masked woman picked up the cue. Maybe now was a good time to tell a relevant story. Should be enough to calm the flames.

"The Scarlet Night 3 years ago... Gods... It's horrible... You're lucky... Very lucky indeed... to have remained here instead of out there..."

She clenched her fists, as if recalling the terrible events laid bare after this "Scarlet Night 3 years ago". Was it so bad it could freeze up such a stoic looking woman mid-sentence?

"Just tell me!"

Cut off. It seems this wasn't the information the claw woman was after. Perhaps she already knows about it or her priorities are elsewhere. Could she be referring to her previous question?

"Where is Artorius?!"

The masked woman acknowledges the interruption and grants Velvet the answer she needs, cutting straight to the point

"In the capital city of Loegres in Midgand. You may find him there."

Immediately after finishing the sentence, the inquirer walks away. This would be all the information the masked woman parts with for now. Maybe if Velvet actually stays and listens, she could tell more. But that impatience is hurting her. They both head for the ladder the masked woman set down, and though the silence was addicting, the lengthy length of the ladder prompts them to strike up a conversation. It didn't matter if Velvet participated in the conversation. She needed to hear something.

"On the Scarlet Night, Artorius, he... He used your brother to perform a ritual, forever altering the world, or at the very least, the Eastern Hemisphere. Malakhims were beckoned by the ritual and joined forces with Artorius and the rest of the exorcists to slay the world's demons."

Nothing in her words prompted any of them to slow down on their way up the ladder. The masked woman never stopped to look down at Velvet and see her reaction as she was telling the story. And Velvet never bothered to look at the masked woman directly. Her sights were on the exit.

"The specifics don't matter... What matters, for you at least, is that Artorius Collbrande now sits at the top of the world."

"Tch... A position he obtained by sacrificing Laphicet..."

Ah, she spoke. Of course she would. Anything goes if there's something involved with revenge. That's who she was and so far, all we know about her. A woman of revenge. And just like that, her low growl of a sentence was enough to stop the masked woman in her conversation. Just keep climbing, they both thought...

As they ascend the ladder, the claw woman speaks up for once, this time regarding an entirely different matter. She spoke with a softer tone, a tone once seen impossible to be associated with a woman such as Velvet.

"Seres, that red glow...what was it?"

Seres? That's her name, then. Hmm...

"It lasted for a short moment. There was no time to look for the source but fear not. It's not the Scarlet Night."

"It's something else entirely, then..."

Velvet could only deduce that much, but for some reason, she couldn't help but connect the red glow with the man she met briefly. She simply shook her head. Now wasn't the time to think about useless matters about some weakling.

"Tch..."

However, no matter how many times she shook her head to clear any thoughts about the man, trying to purge her mind of him was impossible. It was a single thought, a thought that latched onto the back of her mind with a vice grip. A thought that was responsible for thinking... She was going to meet him again. One hundred percent certain.

* * *

 **A/N - I'm lazy. If you need a visual, Hyoma looks almost like Akira Kurusu aka Joker from Persona 5. He even wears the same attire, except the coat is more red and less black, plus with extra clothing. Maybe if I get better at drawing, I'll draw the original character. That's all I'll say for now.**


	2. Rainbow Smiles

_"The mere mention of his name provoked so many emotions, but they were always smiling. Perhaps that was my answer."_

* * *

Fear had taken over the minds of the prisoners. Why was that? Freedom had been bestowed upon them. In this particular case, freedom took the form of a "skeleton-like monster". Does it really matter who introduces freedom as long as your free? Wasn't freedom something humans naturally strove for? Granted there are demons in the mix, but...look closer. The demons looked just as scared. They have emotion. There is little difference between these two freedom seekers.

The skeleton-esque being never made a sound, even amidst the fearful cries of the chained, as it nonchalantly glides throughout the cell block, dragging its bloodied claw arm to break the bars of each cell.

And so freedom had been given to you.

 _Why do you not run?_

* * *

Or so we can assume the enigmatic being is thinking. Before entering the next cell, it turned around, still the prisoners remain in their cells, their eyes all on "it". Hm... Well, if they wish to remain imprisoned, so be it. It is none of its concern. Moving on.

"You can hear it, can't you Velvet? You who know too much chaos, can you hear the sounds of battle?"

Being far away from the action doesn't hinder Seres' hearing. She is no ordinary lifeform.

"Very much so. Is this chaos your handiwork?"

Seres was willing to exhaust every option possible to ensure Velvet's freedom, running to every possible escape route, even picking up loot along the way. Well...the loot certainly explains Velvet's new appearance.

Gone was her tattered villager clothing that represented innocence that shattered far too soon. Its replacement came in the form of black jeans heavily shredded to the point of revealing too much legs save for the protective footwear, belts of all manners wrapped around her right leg as well as some on her waist, a red corset nearly separated at the middle and revealing her midriff, and finishing off with a black cape. And it seems...her long, flowing black hair is no longer chained by headbands. And her piercing gold eyes have taken on a new look: hopeful vengeance.

Velvet took on a new form of rebellion.

New appearances aside, it seems Seres was offended by Velvet's question. She may have been willing to exhaust every option for Velvet's freedom, but causing unnecessary bloodshed was far too extreme. It was simply... not her, for a lack of a better string of words.

"Velvet, what exactly do you take me for?"

Wearing a mask is useless if you can't even hide the emotions that dripped from your words.

"A malakhim that served Artorius. In other words, a monster. That is how I envisioned you."

It was useless trying to convince Velvet. She was the embodiment of revenge, seeking the head of Seres' former master and maybe even Seres' head as well if she continues to land on each landmine. An obvious fact thankfully did not fly over Seres, knowing that words alone aren't enough to sway Velvet's opinion. Silence was her only response.

* * *

As soon as their cells were broken, the escapees ran as far away as possible from the floating skeleton thing. Did they not care if they ran straight into guards? Well...there are demons among them, but seeing their tails between their legs is not a promising sign of their ferocity. So far, luck has been on the side of the rebellion, seeing only corpses of their enemy as they work against the clock to free their fellow inmates.

"Oh gods, it's here!"

"R-Ruuun!"

"Save yourselves!"

This particular cell block heard those screams. They were getting closer. Was it the enemy? Whole bodies quivered as the prisoners shakily grip their cell bars, nervously anticipating the source of the fear.

From the left...?!

From the right...?!

"Waaah!"

"They're here!"

"It's here!"

From both sides it seems! From one side, prisoners were trying to escape from the exorcists and from the other side, they were escaping from the halloween skeleton. Chaos had truly descended upon this particular cell block. Both sides cowered at the unknown being, but it seems they still retain some composure, seeing as they are pursuing their own agenda. The prisoners, freeing their own men. The exorcists, attempting to cut down the revolt. From the ground, this may seem like chaos, but if you look from above, the cell block was like one mind. The mass of bodies, regardless of which side they're on, actively avoided the mysterious being, who simply stood at the front of the door, just looking.

...

Just... looking?

...

*Drip drop*

Could that have been the sound of the dripping blood from the dead exorcists? They died a long time ago, though... They were on the ground, their blood spilling everywhere, but dripping?

The bizarre looking witch from the upper floor of the cell block looked intently at the abnormality, unfazed by the invisible bloodbath. A quiet gasp escapes from her mouth, eyes widening just a bit. Why was she looking at the monster's claws...?

*Drip drop*

Ah...That's why. There's fresh new blood coating its claws.

Total silence. How was it possible that this place that was brimming with chaos just seconds ago become dead silent? Ever so slowly, every living thing in that room turned their heads to follow the witch's gaze. Yes, their overexaggerated, widened eyes says it all. Where did that blood come from, they all wonder? For the second time, they turn their heads, snail's pace of course, towards the bodies. Yes, bodies. Dead bodies. Bodies that were alive mere seconds ago. Had the course of events not registered yet? Such slow-witted prisoners. Has stagnancy rotted their mind this much? The witch returned to her original personality, one of amusement, smiling to herself, knowing of what's to come.

"Heh, heh..."

And in that moment...

"Let's get outta here!"

"We're done here! We are NOT staying here!"

Perfectly timed are the prisoners' screams of terror, some backing into their cells, some attempting to break their bars, and the newly freed ones try ungracefully to escape, tripping over each other, beating each other up to use as unwilling meat shields. It was a stampede in the middle of Black Friday.

"Grah! Don't leave the rest of us behind!" So says another bizarre looking prisoner. He looked like a samurai...ponytail and everything.

He seems much calmer than everyone else. Scratching his head in disappointment, the samurai turns to face the source of the chaos. His lone yellow eye clashing with the being's red eyes, or what we can assume are eyes. There was no fear in the samurai's eye. Has the stagnancy of this prison affected him too?

"I don't want to mince words, so I'll get right to it. If I win against you, you leave these people. If you win, do whatever you want. These prisoners' freedom is the prize."

For the skeleton being challenged, there was no mouth to talk with, so there are no words. Obviously. Instead, it chooses action. It simply and slowly glides to the last few cells remaining and repeating the same process as before as he tries to free the last of the prisoners in this block. Even as it breaks the bars along its path with its claw, it never once looked at the samurai. Was it bored? Uninterested with conflict? Maybe it had better things to do?

"Uh..."

"Ah~ Rokurou, Rokurou... Can't you see? The poor thing wants nothing to do with your ungrateful self!~

Oh, the witch speaks. The only one in the cell block, perhaps in the entire prison, with a working brain. Well, just enough brains to realize who's doing the saving. She descends to the first floor and meets up with this Rokurou person, all the while twisting her index finger. In disappointment perhaps?

"Oh, can it, Magilou. I'm already embarrassed enough as it is. I feel so dumb."

Magilou, huh... So we've got Rokurou the ungrateful warmonger and Magilou the witch. Or jester, seeing how her aura can easily give off the vibes of providing amusement.

"Now, now, Rokurou.~ The vacant and vapid and vacuous would never admit to such vilification!"

"Gah...! Are you intentionally using big words to make me feel even dumber?! Cut down on the subtle slander, would you?"

"No caaaan do~ For that is my favorite hobby!"

"Urgh..."

Without hesitation, Magilou slaps Rokurou's back, switching personalities and typical course of actions with lightning speed.

"Stand up straight, boy! This freedom and chaos is a gift, one that should be shared with everyone!~

"Are you saying we should go help that thing and free everyone?"

"Mhm, mhm, mhm." Magilou says with vigorous nods for every word.

"Rebellion it is!"

* * *

A fireball from Seres finishes off an exorcist. Velvet remembers her words of avoiding bloodshed. So why was she fighting so...flawlessly?

"You're not even flinching. And I thought you avoided bloodshed."

"Unnecessary bloodshed. This..."

Seres walks up to a still-living exorcist, pleading for his life. But that won't do... Seres has already prepared her fireball spell and incinerates the body. Velvet looks on, undeterred.

"...is necessary bloodshed. I no longer work for the man you seek vengeance upon. I have no reason to flinch."

There is no change on Velvet's face, but she does look for any signs of changes on Seres' face, wondering if there's a lie hidden within her words. She turns her back to Seres, unwilling to give a response. Unwilling to show trust. How could she? Standing before her was a tool that aided Artorius and therefore was just as responsible for the demise a few years ago. No...this wasn't the place for it...

"Continue leading the escape. I'm sure the ships are still here."

"Ah, so you already knew that this prison is an island."

"One that houses violent criminals and scores of demons. That is what they all say."

A small, devilish smile appears on Velvet's face. Hints of insanity are seeping from that smile.

"Heh... Demons say a lot of things when they don't want you to eat them."

Acquiring information was one thing. Enjoying the methods used to acquire information is another. Clearly, Velvet has tasted the latter scenario many times, enough to materialize that devilish smile, one that rivals the witch.

Maybe it's just the prison, but the smiles that have materialized here... They are far removed from their original intentions. Only one seemed to have that small genuine smile.

* * *

"…"

Maybe it helped that there was no one else here that contributed to this silence. Sitting casually on the bed was Hyoma. His back was hunched over and his arms served as pillars to clutch the sides of his head _._ His eyes were shut tight and if he were to cover his ears, he'd be the perfect testament to one who denies and mutes the world. Luckily, he wasn't that type of person. This was just another bout of headache. A suffering mind was inevitable. Traveling to a different dimension was tiring... And the crash landing to the ocean...He hated the ocean...the water...

He shook his head slowly, trying to deny the existence of the pain in his head that had somehow wreaked havoc upon his entire body

He looked out from the small window, wondering what to do next. All the prisoners were freed, after all. What else was there to do? Then, an uneasy feeling sinks into Hyoma.

"That's right. This is an island..."

He continued to look out through the small window. Sure enough, the storm was still raging. Those waters refused to stay still. They were ready to swallow up any would-be seafarer. Well, for an aquaphobic, the ocean always acted like that regardless if it swayed back and forth peacefully.

Then an entirely different thought crossed his mind. It involved that woman. That Velvet. Her situation was rather odd. First off, she was placed in solitary confinement. Hyoma managed to tour the prison courtesy of the chaos that is the prison escape, and there was only one cell in complete isolation and it was the one Velvet was in. Second, that barrier. Now then, because Velvet was too busy preying upon Hyoma's helpless, fragile neck, she never noticed the yellow barrier that exacerbated the meaning of solitary confinement. It was shattered upon that masked woman's descent.

Velvet didn't see that barrier nor did she even hear the barrier shatter. Perfect, perfect examples of just how clouded her senses are. Hm, or more accurately, how her acute senses are honed in on the wrong things.

A girl no less than 19, or maybe even 20 years old was placed in an island prison and sealed away in a special cell in solitary confinement.

"What in the world could have happened to her?"

More importantly was this question.

Why did he care about the woman's situation? That Velvet? Hm... Perhaps it wasn't Velvet he was interested in. He was more interested in Velvet's situation. Goodness, it's been but a few hours since his arrival and already something caught his eye. It would be a fun journey, he thought.

In his own little world, Hyoma fails to realize the three exorcists behind him. Game over, they both thought.

* * *

"This isn't good."

Three exorcists converged to discuss the situation. They were lucky to be alive. And still lucky to be alive. The commotion caused by the rest of the prison inhabitants echoed throughout the island. It was utter chaos out there. It was surprising enough to even find a place free from the chaos, making it perfect to host a discussion.

"Much of the prisoners have been freed. This place is lost."

"Don't be an idiot. We still have Oscar with us. He'll salvage this mess.

Oscar? The head honcho of this place, I assume? So he's the praetor exorcist from before... The one with deceiving eyes...

"Hm... Inform all the exorcists to split into two groups and converge at the front and rear gates. We close in with Oscar's help and cut down all who stand in our way. Not one prisoner shall escape from this place."

"Understood, but sir? What about the path around the island under the watchtower? The one with weak ground?"

"We'll take the risk and hope no one finds out about that shortcut. Plus it's too dangerous for us to traverse. It could collapse beneath us. And hopefully if anyone does use it, it collapses for them."

A nod from two of three exorcists confirm their objectives. But the other one...

"Hey, say something! Do you understand what needs to be done?!"

Ah, it seems they're talking to the third exorcist. Strangely enough, he hasn't contributed to the conversation. He shakes his head nervously. The helmet makes it impossible to distinguish his appearance and his voice is distorted. Well, all exorcist helmets were like that. But those traits certainly came in handy for this one.

"No sir, I'm new to the exorcists. And... being placed in a prison so suddenly and for a first timer... It's nerve wracking."

Facepalm. The ultimate facepalm. What was a total newbie doing in a hell hole like this!? The exorcists' standards sure have risen. No fresh meat would want to join if they knew THIS was entry level stuff.

"Well you won't get anywhere with that attitude. Do you at least know the layout of this place?"

"A little. Give me a rehash along the way to the gates and that should be enough."

And with that, the exorcists split up, the newbie staying with the veteran.

From the corners, Velvet and Seres were eavesdropping.

"A shortcut huh... Under the watchtower, they said..."

It was Velvet's turn to assume _The Thinker's_ pose albeit standing up.

"I was planning to instigate a riot by freeing the prisoners, but someone else beat us to the punch."

Velvet shakes her head in disapproval. Why? This was going in her favor and she didn't have to do anything. Luck like this comes very rarely. Savor it. For Seres, a subtle shocked look spreads to her face. Velvet would go that far...?

"Did you intend to involve the prisoners?"

Velvet fiercely and quickly retorts.

"I'll use any tool I have at my disposal. Including you, if need be."

* * *

"Rokurou, enouuuggghh... Enough with the sword already!"

"Nope. Stormhowl's all I got. I'm not leaving this place without it."

Magilou simply squats to the ground, crossing her arms and burying her head. This was a hopeless situation, indeed!

"I had hoped against all hope that YOU would be the one to lead the sheep to the promised land! But alas, my hope, my faith, my trust were all misplaced!"

Did she belong in a theater? Forget the subtle slandering, the jester-like qualities, Magilou excelled in theatrics. Pose after pose, she keeps on proving to be the chosen one fit to hog the spotlight, holding her heart with one hand and raising the other, a forlorn look across her mask.

"Look, if you just wanted directions, you should've followed the inmates in our block. Most of them were new, so they should still know the entrance."

Away with the dramatic poses, Magilou just shrugs and sighs. Well, even amidst her crisis, she manages to notice two new presences. Velvet and Seres. The former woman seemed to have been holding on to something that looked familiar... And with that, Magilou brings back her malicious smile.

"Oho!~ Could that be the sword you so desperately cry out for?"

Sword? Rokurou was quick to turn around to face Velvet. In her hands was indeed, the Stormhowl he was whining about. He should be happy, but he's not. From under his bangs, his right eye glows red. I guess he's angry now, teeth showing and everything.

"Planning to take off with my sword? I don't think so!"

"He owns Stormhowl? Could he be...?"

Before Seres finishes her thought, Rokurou lunges at Velvet using two daggers likely retrieved from the exorcists. They were brittle, likely because of the combat they experienced. Well they weren't much use anyway...

"Guuh...!"

An unmoving Velvet simply points Stormhowl with the pommel at Rokurou and stops him. A rude stop to his tracks. Hm, enough to leave an extremely painful bruise. From a hundred miles per hour to zero.

"If you wanted it so badly, you should've asked. The thing's too bulky and heavy to be of any use to me."

Rokurou clutches his stomach in pain and he slowly collapses to the ground, writhing. But he still manages to utter out...

"Thank...you..."

And with his passing out on the ground, Velvet nonchalantly drops the sword on his back. No response. All she wanted to do was get rid of it. Good god, she was hauling that thing for ages and it was completely messing up her combat. Feels good to throw trash where it belongs – with the rest of the trash.

Again, Magilou shrugs and sighs.

"That ended too fast for my liking. I teamed up with a thing that had no brains or brawns.

* * *

"So you're saying only one person named Van Aifread got out of this prison and it was only because someone named Melchior came to retrieve him. Did I get that right?"

Two unlikely duos have formed a new group. Velvet, Seres, Magilou, and Rokurou. An unlikely group indeed... The chaos throughout the prison ironically calms them down, knowing that the exorcists are far too busy elsewhere. In response to Velvet's question, Rokurou nods, confirming the information.

"I don't know who they are, but I'll make sure to remember the names, just in case."

"It'll be easy to remember them... Especially the latter name..." Magilou quietly whispers to herself in a serious fashion. It's a rare occurrence for her to be so...moody. Velvet looks at her, suspicious as well. Nothing about the witch spells seriousness. No, she was all about amusement. Velvet shakes her head. Again, this wasn't the time for such trivialities... Seres adds to the conversation.

"The exorcists of the Abbey joined with the kingdom of Midgand, and from there, created a killing machine for demons, utilizing all means possible, even using malakhim numbering up to the millions.

"Artorius can surround himself with as many malakhim as he wants. I'll line up corpses from behind me just to cut a path for myself."

"Whoa...uh, that's pretty gruesome. You must really hate the man."

"That's none of your business."

And from there, silence descends upon the group. An awkward, but golden silence. Eventually, they reach the watchtower, climbed it, and amidst the torrential rain and storm and all, kept a cool head as they observed their surroundings. Has their luck ran out as they look down below?

"Sigh. The path has collapsed. The rope will be useless here."

Seres looks around to see if there are any other tools that can be used for a safe descent until she sees Velvet preparing to take a leap of faith, looking at her bandaged arm one last time.

"Hold on! Are you seriously going to try it?!"

Quickly, Velvet responds. "He fell further than this back at the shrine." And immediately afterwards, jumps to her possible grave, and Seres can only look in disbelief. Rokurou and Magilou on the other hand were all smiles. It wasn't every day they get to do this. Rokurou prepares the twin daggers, looking to follow Velvet's lead.

"There's only one way to go, right?! Dooowwnn!"

Velvet manages to sink her claws into the rockface, painfully trying to slow her descent and above her, Rokurou sinks his daggers to do the same. Magilou smiles at Seres, knowing what must be done.

"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?~ Waaahoooo!"

Unlike the brutal methods Velvet and Rokurou used to dive down, Magilou simply holds on to her giant hat as if it was a parachute. You'd have to be really, really light for that to work, but I think it was established long ago that she was no ordinary person. Everyone fit right at home in that odd little group of theirs.

The ground was a welcome sight and feel to behold, but their reckless descent was not without consequences. Velvet took the worst injury and suffered a dislocated shoulder on her claw arm and tried to push it against the rocks to... hopefully fix it. That isn't going to work. Using teleportation magic imbued with a fiery entrance, Seres instantly meets the others at the ground. Alright, that was a good idea. Reveal your teleportation magic AFTER everyone left.

"Whoa, that was quite the experience..."

Magilou holds her closed hand near Rokurou's mouth, as if attempting to place a microphone and hear his commentary.

"Tell me, was that an experience worth reliving? Did it hurt? What's your advice for those willing to follow your example?~"

Seres turns her attention away from the duo's banter and heads to Velvet, healing her shoulder.

"You are...strong. Almost as if you have made an oath."

Velvet, although thankful for the healing, faced Seres with a cold glare. She knew where this was going. Nay, they both knew where this was going, but the latter kept going in spite.

"A kind of ritual that grants the oath-taker special powers if they abide by certain restrictions. Strength is determined by harsher restrictions, so I suppose you could say an oath is like-"

"A curse, right?" Velvet rudely interrupts Seres. "Well, guess what? You're the ones who did this to me."

…

"But you're lucky. Oh, so lucky. If I could, I'd gladly give up any chance of joy just to put these hands... around his neck..."

As if to emphasize her point, Velvet kept staring at her hands, her shaking hands. Shaking not out of fear, but out of wanton anticipation. Nothing could sate her unless those hands of hers had wrung the neck of her ultimate prey.

"But I would never take an oath such as that. If I give up joy, or happiness, or satisfaction... I'd never be able to feel anything after achieving that sweet, sweet revenge."

* * *

The newbie and the veteran exorcist from before head to the docks amidst the storm. Were they planning to escape?

"This is the only ship in the back docks. There's more ships at the front, but they're already well-guarded. I'll send some to this ship and you all will defend it. Make sure none of the prisoners take a single step on this ship."

Ah... They sent a newbie away from the fighting. They truly did have a heart. A heart so... dangerously palpitable.

He heard no footsteps.

He had stopped following him.

Turn around?

"Huh? Graah-!"

Not one more inch did he manage to turn around before getting stabbed in the heart. The traitor exorcist twists and turns his sword until finally, his victim could struggle no more. Oh, but he was still very much alive. The traitor would not want the victim to miss this, to miss the end of his life in a more vivid detail. Perhaps even more cruel, the traitor was simply testing how well he can thrust a sword, as if he hasn't used one in a long time. Or... maybe he was a doctor-in-training trying to find out where the heart was located? The traitor, still grasping the blade impaled on the victim, moved closer to the edge of the docks and closed in on the victim's ears and with a tone suited for a casual departure than final words...

"Bye now."

Not a moment's hesitation and the traitor pushes the still living body from the blade, now coated in blood, and into the ocean. There was no salvation to be had here, no peaceful death. He would struggle, as per his survival instincts, but fail to struggle with effort, as per his body's debilitating injuries, and he would dream of a happier time, but it would all be washed away, as per his survival instincts. All he could do was instinctively wonder whether he would die from drowning or die from bleeding first.

And forcing the victim to entertain these sorts of thoughts... Well, that was the real reason the traitor even kept him alive until the very end.

* * *

"We're almost out! Pick up the pace!"

Velvet and the others were at full sprint, ignoring the chaos and the riot from behind.

"That's far enough!"

"Uh oh~ We've got trouble." So says a cheery Magilou.

Guarding the entrance were three exorcists, the one in the middle obviously more important than anyone else on the island as Seres immediately calls him out.

"Oscar... So it was correct that a praetor exorcist was stationed in this prison."

"Ah, Seres. What have we here? Are you leading these criminals to their freedom? Was it the will of Artorius?"

"Heh... I act on my own."

So she says with a small smile, but Oscar doesn't seem to buy it.

"A malak with free will, hm...? Even so, I can sense someone's strings guiding you."

Seres didn't have time to respond as Velvet readies herself for combat. Secretly, she was thankful not having to respond... Very thankful indeed. Rokurou pats Velvet's shoulders.

"Hold on. You're still injured and a praetor is more dangerous than regular enemies."

Velvet violently shakes off Rokurou's grip, refusing to be restricted like this.

"Don't you even dare try to stop me!"

"The enemy is in front of us, not amongst ourselves. Focus."

Oscar seems to be holding off on his end, refusing to attack a pack of anomalies until they can introduce themselves.

"You're a demon, but still a lady. So I'll show you due respect. I am Oscar Dragonia, praetor of the Abbey of the Holy Midgand Empire. And you are...?"

* * *

 **A/N - Ending notes? Hm. I'll wait until a certain point before I go crazy with notes. Oh, I guess I could say this. This isn't a spoiler-y fact, but if you have a hard time imagining what the "skeleton-esque" being looks like, try imagining Skeith Xth form from .hack. It's literally the same appearance. Except, you know, smaller.**


	3. Rainbow Mood

_"I always found it weird that rainbows are the products of a storm. Well, sometimes anyway. The point is, something that beautiful "can" arise from a "dark_ _atmosphere" so to speak. It was hard to tell what kind of mood surrounded rainbows. Happy? Sad? It was the same with him. What was the mood like around him? Many would wonder, few would guess, none would know."_

* * *

Exorcist clothing were strewn about the ship. Well, around a chair to be exact. Hyoma sat on that chair, reading a moderately sized and unimpressive looking notebook. With a pen spinning dexterously in hand and a lack of an educational environment, perhaps this was meant to be a journal. Though it was a journal and thus lacking high levels of writing and thankfully, lacking a due date, Hyoma furrowed his brows for just a bit as if it would be the deciding factor of his grades.

He wanted to write something. Something... memorable. It would be his first written words in a new world, so he had to write something great. Something... But the words wouldn't come and his pen stops spinning. The train of thoughts ground to a halt. The rain that poured on the poor ship sounded like distant gunfire, or machine guns were more like it. But Hyoma cared not for the noise. He didn't blame the noise for his lack of proper thinking. In fact, he liked the noise. It was oddly soothing. He was sure many others thought the same. Too many times, he'd been in a diner full of people, all quiet, all listening to the rain on the windows.

He would never blame nature for anything.

And with that, Hyoma gently closes his journal and his eyes, accepting that there were no words at the moment. Maybe next time. Just to get a feel of this world. Then he would choose his first words carefully. Then just as quickly as he closed his eyes, he opens them, slightly curious about the noise that overpowered the mighty storm. Being able to distinguish sound and being able to hear well are two different things and Hyoma was more of the former, not the latter. Hearing in itself was not his specialty. So to be able to hear something amidst the rain quite literally spoke volumes about the chaos caused by that noise. He looked at the direction of the massive doors he had just exited from. A battle raged behind those doors. For sure, that flowing, raven haired woman was involved in the fighting, Hyoma thought to himself, and immediately remembered other possible participants, like that samurai and the masked woman. He did keep the jester in his thoughts, but she looked like the type to watch her friends get eaten by wolves all the while putting on a game-winning smile rather than lift a finger.

"That would be fun to watch, but..." The rain wouldn't let up. In fact, it was gaining power. So much rain that it was getting harder to see the prison clearly. Hyoma was never the type to get near water, much less travel by water, so he was unsure whether this rain was safe for ships. Slowly, from within his humble abode, he extends his gloved hand towards the rain...and gets nearly dragged down with it, prompting him to retract his hand. Powerful rain indeed.

"...I'd rather stay here."

* * *

"Here, here! This way!~"

And what better way for a jester to fulfill her role than to entertain the audience? Yes, Magilou was quite active, dancing around her enemies actually, but she had no bloodstained hands. She would leave that to her "allies". And herself? Well, having such a gullible audience was an opportunity she would not waste, leading them astray with her teasing aura and oh-so alluring hat before their standing ovation is put down for good.

"Urgh...!"

And quick slashes to the neck from two daggers in the hands of Rokurou ends this one's life. As one who is suited for combat, to be tricked so easily, there's only one fitting end for you: A bowing Magilou, with an outstretched arm and the hat over her chest, and of course, looking up just a little bit to show that audience-winning smile. Standing in complete contrast was Rokurou's expression, one of indifference, or maybe an "I-knew-it" face.

"Yeah, I figured you weren't the fighting type."

"Aaaannnnd... what exactly drove you to think such a thought? Did you, for a second, peg me as a brute? Pose! Pose! Pose!" Magilou was trying her darndest to prove her innocence as one who never bathed her hands in blood, pose after various poses. But nothing about her seems innocent. Definitely, one who prances and dances around the battlefield without the fear of death are clear signs of being combat ready. Or just insane. "And this is why you are all brawns and no brains."

"Hey! Are you going to help or not?!" Velvet's enraged voice pulls the duo out of their one-sided argument. She and Seres have teamed up to fight Oscar, who is seemingly far more combat-worthy than one would expect from his pretty boy looks and a silver tongue, considering how well he's handling an outnumbered situation. A noble-like figure who could fight? Such occurrences are rare indeed.

A short stare-down to gauge each other's skills and predict the next moves.

"Now there's a surprise! You hide it well, but regardless of your weapon of choice, your combat style bears resemblance to Artorius' teachings!" Oscar charges straight to Velvet with a very predictable overhead and appropriately blocked by the edge of Velvet's "gauntlet blade", a good way to trash a weapon sooner than usual.

"Krgh...!" There appears to be little difference in strength as the two are stuck in dead lock, a perfect situation for trash talking. "A ghost of a resemblance! I am my own person now!" The two realized that there was no need to put in needless effort into the dead lock and subsequently backed off into their respective positions. From the stands were the backseat fighters.

"Shouldn't we help them?"

Ever the one with no brains or tact. Magilou can only shrug in utter disappointment. "Can't you read the mood? There's more going on than meets the eye, you know.~" She says in her usual, singy tone. "Isn't that right, our oh-so mysterious and masked mademoiselle?" Wait, did she actually know if there is some sort of personal vendetta between Velvet and Oscar. Hm, time will tell. She isolates Seres, who is now targeted by Rokurou and Magilou's glares, awaiting her response.

"This is her battle. A trial by fire, if you would. She must prove that her hatred is enough to seize liberation. Beyond her vengeance, there's no future for her outside of this prison. Such is the fate of one with a single goal." She said all of that without much change in her facial expressions. Was there nothing more to it?

"So you're saying she's no good anywhere else if she can't even possess the strength to achieve her one goal. Sounds harsh, but I can relate." You, Rokurou? You have wise words to tell? And you say you can relate? Well, you are a samurai after all, a class of people that know nothing but servitude.

Their voices are of normal volume, but Velvet is too focused on her battle to listen. Now it was her turn to charge with a predictable thrust and Oscar deflects the attack to the right, throwing Velvet off-balance, remedying the situation by using her momentum to drive home a powerful spin hook kick. A neck-breaker indeed, especially when one considers the hidden blades on her boots, but Oscar is smart, who simply ducks, strides to the left a few distances, and spins around to put distance between him and Velvet, making sure her next attack will be out of reach.

Velvet recovers quickly, having seen Oscar just finishing his most recent maneuver, and attempts a horizontal slash, "Hah!", but as expected, it was out of reach, but a cautious Oscar steps back, hoping to gain enough distance for a safe counter attack. Ah, but of course one so vengeful as Velvet would be unrelenting in their attacks, unwilling to give the weary a breathing room. So, she quickly spins the blade at the end of her slash to smoothly transition into another horizontal slash, and when that misses, she steps forward, guides her blade around for a spin slash downwards, hoping that Oscar mistakes the preparation as an attack and fails to see the real danger.

"Hyah!"

But no, Oscar manages to step away every time and for safe measure, prepares his sword in a guarding position in case Velvet's attacks connect. And indeed, when Velvet's spin maneuver forces her to recover on the ground, making her sword arm largely absent in Oscar's eyes, she uses that to her advantage for a quick upward slash, finally connecting...to Oscar's sword, "Urgh!"

…who successfully blocks the overhead yet again. No, she would not engage in another dead lock, and thus Velvet breaks off and spins behind Oscar, preparing for another horizontal spin slash. From the left corner of his eyes, Oscar sees the attack and ducks forward, using his momentum to spin the other way and further the distance. He sees Velvet continuing her spin and charges up his own attack to meet her sword. Yes, another dead lock, one that they intend to stay in.

"Hraaggh!"

How could you guys have missed that one. Rokurou, you had one job. Seres? Take off your impractical mask for once. One of the supposed corpses was still alive and it wasn't playing around. An aura of black and purple surrounded the exorcist, who was clutching his head in obvious pain.

"A malak with demonblight?!"

Demonblight? From the sound of it, it seems like the reason people are turning into monsters or demons. But there were plenty of demons Velvet encountered while she was attempting to escape the prison and not once did she flinch. Could it have something to do with the fact that it was a malak with demonblight? Was a malak not supposed to turn into a demon? Well, it would be foolish to continue that sort of thinking, especially when the malak in question has just turned into a drake.

"It's lost control!"

Well, if stress is one cause of demonblight, I can see why it afflicted one of your men, Oscar, you who hide behind a veil of angelic innocence. And it would seem the drake was out for revenge for a second as it turns on Oscar, producing a powerful gust of wind to force him against the wall. However, it did not pursue, instead turning its head to face Velvet, charging straight at her, with mouth open, teeth baring, and claws ready to strike. Velvet was prepared to execute all maneuvers possible to save her skin, but...

"Velvet!" From the figurative stands was Seres, who could watch no longer, running straight to Velvet to defend her from the drake's claws, suffering mortal wounds to her back, but not before launching a powerful fireball that knocks the drake back to the ceiling and subsequently crashing down. Also from the stands were Rokurou and Magilou, finally taking action.

"Don't worry Velvet! We've got this!" Ah, finally you learned to read the mood Rokurou. What can only happen now is a touching scene between Velvet and a dying Seres. Velvet rushes to Seres' side, cradling her with open arms. Having a change of attitude, demon eater?

"I won't last... Please...consume me." Seres was facing Velvet. Although masked, Velvet could not stand the sight of her "gaze". Her eyes stung, so she can only look away. "My form is bound by an oath whose price is my life. The time has come to pay. Feeding on my form will grant you strength to press forward."

Each word took too much energy. Seres' voice quivered, forming only shaky sentences at best. And all Velvet could say was...

"Why...?"

"A flame burns in my heart, too. A flame I cannot quench, no matter how hard I try. Just like you, Velvet."

From her belongings, Seres' brings out a simple, brown comb. It was obviously important, seeing as how it elicited a gasp from Velvet.

"This was Laphi's!"

She was ready to take it, but hesitated. "That is why I cannot abide it. This frozen world...this frozen people... I'm just that stubborn of a woman..."

And then, Seres inserts the last of her energy into her next choice of words, hoping to give them persuasive powers. "Hurry! Before my life fades! Do it now!" What was she supposed to do, dammit?! Velvet broke through her hesitation and faced Seres, acknowledgement written across her face. She knew what to do.

And thus, the empress demon continues her legacy as she unleashes the red beast within her left arm which grasped the pitiful Seres. Such a scene did not go unnoticed from Magilou and Rokurou, despite having a tussle with a monster several times larger and perhaps more danger than they are.

"Hey! We'll be short one member pretty soon!~" And as predicted, she really does seem like the type to watch her allies die as she does nothing.

"Velvet, hey! What the hell are you doing!" Every so often when he's not busy deflecting the claws and mouth of the monster, Rokurou looks towards the scene. Maybe if he wasn't under attack, he'd be more shocked or angered. Dammit, just what the hell was that woman doing?!

"I offer no apology or thanks."

A dauntless Velvet mutes the world around her. The words from the outside are drowned out. She clutches at Seres with further strength, but still she can respond. "I need neither. Our wishes...are one...and the same" Her stern mask is shattered, along with her physical mask, finally revealing her brownish red eyes for the first, and probably last time. Every word was sincere, full of emotion, and they each struck Velvet's heart, whose face showed signs of breaking down. Seres held Velvet's monstrous claw arm with such ironic gentleness and again, speaks with that same, weak voice.

"I treasured those days...when you and I...and Arthur were...together." And there were tears. And in those teardrops showed a reflection of Velvet, who once again, lost the will to look straight at her savior, Seres.

"AHHHHHH!" Unable to bear any more heavy words, Velvet crushed the head of her savior, Seres. So brutal was the execution that the mood seemed to have stop time. That would be an exaggeration, if it wasn't for not only Rokurou and Magilou, but also the drake watching the scene unfold. What would happen next, they all wondered. Seres' form dematerializes into an orange flame, absorbed by Velvet's demonic claw.

* * *

 _"Have you stopped crying already?"_

 _..._ _So_ _says the red robe..._

 _"I'll stay with you then. Just for now..._ _"_

... _So sung the red robe... ancient music notes emitting from the red robe..._

* * *

Hyoma... You remember all of that?

 _"Hmm..."_

That was years ago. Millions of years ago. 10 million years ago. 10. The number 10 followed by 6 zeroes.

 _"They helped me find that memory. Why did it appear now, though...?"_

…

Who knows?

* * *

So not only does Velvet absorb Seres' powers, but she can also take a glimpse of her memories? Memories of a more innocent time. Memories containing Seres with a grayish haired man whom we can assume is this "Arthur", the duo being quite content with each other's company. Lovers, perhaps? Then there were times between the entire family containing the aforementioned characters along with Velvet and a small, blonde boy, most likely this "Laphicet" figure that Velvet keeps crying about. Yes, let's go with that. Ah... then the memories show of a sadder time. With each passing memory, Arthur looked more and more depressed and his companion, Seres, followed this path of depression. Oh...then came resolve. Resolve burned within Arthur's eyes. Was this the usual upside-down bell curve trend? One who falls further into despair, and rises up as a villain hellbent on revenge, destruction, maybe some social reformation?

...

 **If so, what a truly hopeless and boring villain...**

 **...**

What remained in the ashes was a ring. It was now Velvet's, who now wore the face of resolution. A resolution to perfect the face of unbridled animosity.

Now she can truly run wild, to emulate the highest of sins for her own berserked, emotions.

"She absorbed that malak's power to wield as her own?! I've never seen such a demon!"

"HRAAAAGH!"

 _ **"**_ _ **For thine own being, kill."**_

What an appropriate line for you, Velvet. Velvet, with her newfound powers, along with Rokurou, work together to destroy the drake. Just a few distances away from the action, Magilou retreats into her mind, protected by a mask of an uncharacteristic seriousness.

"How high can you rise up on emotion alone before you eventually and painfully realize the necessary duality of emotion and reason? Well, it's lonely over here at the top, so I could use the companionship of another miserable child."

For once in this entire prison ordeal, Magilou finally presented an honest-to-goodness smile. No malice, no tricks, no secrets, just a small, genuine smile.

But it seems she was in her own little world for far too long as Velvet and Rokurou finally put down the drake for good. Velvet however, has a different plan in mind for the corpse. Unleashing her claw one last time, she absorbs the drake, a small step towards the grander and ironically simple scheme of acquiring power and only power. She saw this moment, a moment in which she was in complete control, as the perfect opportunity to properly introduce herself to her enemies, who are stubbornly preparing for a second round, and perhaps even to her allies.

"I will devour demon, malak, exorcist, even humans alike." After devouring the drake, she turns to face her enemies, a face possessing absolute hatred. There was no hope for her. "I am a therion!" Turning her animosity into power in the form of a raging fireball, eerily similar to what the drake was just using...

 **"** **...A** **monster known as Velvet Crowe!"**

Velvet's powers have yet to learn discrimination as the tremendous fireball nearly singes Rokurou and Magilou in its path towards Oscar, who takes the full brunt of the fireball and understandably set on fire, his painful screams euphoric to Velvet's ears, but alas, cuts the sublime joy short as he teleports away from death herself. Velvet meanwhile, decides, under the weirdest and most awkward mood, with Rokurou gawking at her and Magilou observing her, that this was the best time to look at a precious memento, the brown comb, from her precious "Laphi".

No, perhaps this was the best time to look at it. Velvet chose the path towards hell and perhaps she just wanted to consult the memento if this was truly the way to go.

Regardless of this somber mood, Rokurou decides now of all times to fully introduce himself, bowing beforehand as a sign of respect. Was the sword truly that important?

"Rokurou Rangetsu at your service. When you gave me my Stormhowl, you practically gave me my life back as the two are one and the same. For that, I owe you a great debt and one I vow to repay."

Velvet crossed her arms. She trusted no one, so anyone trying to introduce themselves will be painfully analyzed to the point of excessive screening. Yes, anyone is capable of backstabbing, especially when one considers that this was a prison they were in. And especially when the next one to introduce themselves looks like a damn jester!

"Magi-"

"I already know, "Maggie-lou".

* * *

So the storm retakes its throne as the one dominant force. The conflict between life is nothing but a fleeting flicker amidst the primordial forces in the grander skies. Hyoma knew that a little too well. Being a traveler, it was inevitable that he would be tangled up in such conflicts, far too many to count, and what remains are the independent steps of an eternal, solo, wanderer.

"Hm?"

"...from paradise down to hell! No, worse! A grimy prison cell!"

"Yes, we've heard it before. Can we save the theatrics for later?"

"The storm's still raging. You'd best abandon all hopes of smooth sailing."

"Yes, yes. Let me add to that. Abandon everything you learned about directions. Once we delve into the chaos, nothing will remain!"

"Did you both change into sailors as your professions? If so, you would know about the existence of compasses. Stay here and rot or brave the storm."

"Oh... You all made it."

…

 _Was it a demon?_

 _It's best if you listen to the whole story before you decide that._

…

Now then, since this is sort of a field trip, I'll be guiding your eyes.

To your left, everyone.

A familiar figure clad in a large red and black twintail trench coat, clearly the most prized piece in the attire, red collared shirt, black trousers, black shoes, red gloves, an attire that preferred two colors that proved difficult to see in the darkness of that cell. Reaching down past his eyes and ears was a slightly unkempt jet-black hair. Crimson and darkness made the perfect combination for his eyes, as they have seen all, experienced all, and struggled through all. It was not something as insignificant as "malevolence" that veiled his eyes, no... There was chaos.

The yang to that yin placed below those chaotic red and black eyes, where a smile formed. That very same, genuine, small, and weak smile. These tired malice and chaos all belonged to Hyoma.

"Former prisoners, welcome back to the Living."

* * *

 **A/N - Yes! We're out of this place! Onto bigger and better places.**


	4. Rainbow Masks

_"They were black, but they were still flames. Had I accepted this, I could've saved him."_

What makes you think that?

 _"Had I realized there were flames behind his chaotic mask_ _, I could've quelled it before it destroyed that poor boy. But I didn't... And so,_ _it burned too greatly, dying down only when he was incinerated as well. And I called myself his caretaker too... What was I thinking...?"_

Those flames incinerated indiscriminately. That's why you are now **Ms.** Nine instead of **Mrs.**

…

 **..**

 **.**

Ah... Are those tears? Perhaps I went too far... L-Let's just save your stories for another time then.

* * *

Stuck together in a ship under a mad sky, there was nothing to do but play parcheesi and wait for the inevitable demise of this untended ship that is somehow steering itself. No wait...

"Velvet Crowe. You should know that by now."

Or introductions. They could do that too. While no one is doing the thing with the ship.

"(So, Velvet Crowe. The first person I met in this world, and what a meeting it was. Unique appearance, unique name... Superficial identities...)"

As Hyoma's eyes turned analytical, Velvet squinted just a slight bit. She was quick to anger. All Hyoma could do is put up a smile to show her that everything was ok and nothing suspicious is happening.

"(Naïve, vengeful, traumatized... Hm... well, in her case, it's not much of a puzzle. Anyone can see the heart she wears on her sleeve. Dead set on revenge, full of emotion, and a maskless face.)"

Hyoma lowered his head for just a bit and his smile had disappeared. For just a flash of a moment, his eyes showed concern, knowing where these sorts of people ended up in.

"(I hope you know... what you're getting into, Velvet...)"

"Rokurou Rangetsu."

"(And this is your run-of-the-mill samurai. Ponytail, clothes, a Japanese-sounding name, a big sword. Quick to issue a duel, too. He has fire in his eyes, but it wasn't the kind of fire that intensifies Velvet's eyes. This one burned purely for the sake of fighting. Yet another individual without a mask.)"

Hyoma's analytical face was answered back with a big smile from Rokurou, as if he was proud to introduce himself.

"(By the way, when I first saw him, he didn't have that sword. Well, how and when he got it doesn't matter.)"

For some odd reason, Hyoma couldn't help but take a quick glance at Velvet. She looked just as confused as Hyoma was. Maybe there was a connection here?

"(Probably. And of course, there's no way I could forget her.)"

"Maggie-lou."

"That's Magilou! "Mah" with "soggy shoe" or "doggie doo"!

"Ahaha... Okay, then." Hyoma was quietly laughing, rubbing the back of his neck all the while. It was the basic "I'm innocent, I don't know anything" mask.

Throughout the whole introductions, Magilou never let Hyoma out of her sight. To the average observer, like these two over here, Hyoma was polite, nonchalant, and even a bit shy considering how he reacted when the spotlight shone on him. He was harmless and insignificant.

"(That simply isn't the case for this one. For a prism, all you have to do is change your perspectives and you can see them in a new light. He was just like that.)"

Magilou was anything but discreet when she began to analyze Hyoma like a living monument, for she, too, assumed that same _Thinker_ pose. It's rare for someone to delve deep into their observations when it came to Hyoma because it was impossible to think of anything concrete about the man, so it just wasn't worth it. When Magilou casted a critical eye onto Hyoma, he could only laugh softly, scratch his cheek with one finger, and gaze at the rainy day that suddenly became interesting for an aquaphobic.

"(His soft, out-of-place laughters...that happy-go-lucky to nervous to self-deprecating smile... combine all of that with his eyes. Ah yes, his eyes. Eyes being the most important when it comes to people-watching!)"

Although he wasn't looking straight at her, still in that same nervous posture of his which he tried "desperately" to cover up with a sense of humor, which Magilou found pretty cute at his supposed shyness, she would never forget such unique eyes.

"(Hm... Those eyes...they are the mark of one who has truly seen all there is to see and for that reason, an aura of unpredictability veils him. A level of chaos, confusion, and exhaustion that could only be humanly attained if he's walked this earth since time immemorial.)"

Magilou turns her head to the side, her chin still resting on her hand.

…

...

"Um... are you done yet?"

The introduction of a new voice pulled Magilou out of her world in a rather small, but shocked fashion. No wait, it was just him. Right, right. Had she been that distracted? It never takes this long to solve a puzzle. Could a jester like her, the one who provides amusement, actually BE provided with genuine amusement? Well, well, this was getting fun! Even if the world burns, she would not stop to even care until her curiosity is sated!

"Yes, yes! You are permitted to look this way now, but beware not to lift up your eyes with such carefree effervescence, for a character of my magically marvelous mystique caliber will be singed into your eyes!"

"Haha... Can... I get some help here?"

Hyoma's seen a lot of strange people, but it's precisely because of that that even strange people can become normal in his eyes. Few can go beyond just being plain weird and Magilou has just joined those ranks, perhaps even serving as a baseline for what is considered weird beyond the weird. He looks to the other two for clarification. Was she always this weird?

"Sigh... Don't look at me."

Velvet turned her head away from the others, giving her the picture-perfect look of annoyance and Magilou was the source of that. If she was a permanent party member, Velvet might not make it to Arthur. Well...she might, but by then, she'd be the picture-perfect look of insanity. Maybe even forget entirely her reason for trying to murder the man.

"These two decided to tag along for their own reasons. One that wants to pay their debt, and one that wants to freeload. You decide which is which."

Oh...So that pretty much sums up their story.

"Ah! So it was Velvet that gave you your sword back, Mr. Samurai. How naturally honorable for one such as you to repay your debt towards something that small~."

The simplicity of solving their backstory stood in contrast to Hyoma's outward display of feeling a huge accomplishment, a victory smile to represent that. No surprises there. Just a small piece of information and the traveler manages to figure out this much. There was just one thing bothering a certain witch. How exactly did he know that Rokurou didn't have that sword before meeting up with Velvet? Could it be that...

"(Heheheee... So that was him after all. I see, I see~)"

Magilou felt slightly accomplished, but it seems that no matter how trivial, she would always form a big old smile. That makes it difficult to determine the gravity of her expressions. Which was the serious mask? The teasing mask?

"Gah, you're missing the point. Point is, Magilou is the freeloader."

"Oh right, that. So she's a freeloader."

"(Her? Hm...)"

Hyoma had put his slightly clenched fist over his mouth, signaling a short-lived thinking. He looked at the ground Magilou was standing on. Putting her figure into partial figure not only helps nonetheless with emphasizing the subject of his thinking, but in this way, Hyoma was hoping no one suspects his own suspicions on the witch. If anything, one would think he could just be experiencing one of those times someone just randomly looks at one point and stays at that point as if in a trance. Then a small, very fleeting smile appears on his face, covered by his hand.

"(No... She can wait. Unpredictable people like her are best solved until after they revealed all their cards.)"

So these are introductions. These are just names. Hyoma didn't care to ask beyond names, well, more like, he didn't care if anyone introduced themselves anyway. What they are however, will be something Hyoma will search on his own. People do lie about who they are and Hyoma wanted an uncensored version of people by means of an unbiased perspective.

"And you are?"

It was Rokurou that swings the pendulum of introductions towards Hyoma, and it was only natural and proper manners for the other party to introduce themselves as well. Manners huh... Hyoma can play along with manners for now. Velvet crossed her arms, anxiously awaiting the identity of this mysterious figure that is possibly immortal, considering the turn of events that happened back in that cell. Magilou meanwhile, was no stranger to lies when it came to introductions and it helped that she herself lies constantly. So, she anticipated nothing but lie after fabricated lie.

"Me? Aha...well, suddenly putting me in the spotlight. I can't help but be nervous."

Hyoma spoke with a light-hearted tone, ruffling his hair as yet another form of self-defense against nervousness, as if there was never a raging storm that demanded somberness of all forms. Because of that contrast, even Rokurou can sense a strange sort of... eeriness... coming from him. Maybe he was just strange, so Rokurou, armed with a plethora of combat knowledge, brushed this off as a harmless fly. After all, Magilou was pretty much the same, capable of coming up with a comedy routine on the fly even under such stressful situations. But even she didn't emit an unsettling aura.

"I'm just a simple traveler that enjoys taking in the-"

"Hyoma Hokulei."

* * *

 _Hyoma_ _Hokulei._

 _Hyoma_ _..._

 _Hyoma_ _!_

 _Hyoma_ _Invictus!_

 _Hokulei_ _._

 _Hyoma-kun_ _._

 _Teacher!_

 _Dearest Hyoma_ _..._

 _Darling!~_

 _Ahn_ _...~ Hyoma-kun_ _...~_

 _Supervisor!_

 _Souly_ _!_

 _Sol Invictus_ _!_

 _Poor Hyoma_ _..._

 _..._

 _...Never heard of Hyoma_ _in my life..._

* * *

So sudden was her interruption that Hyoma couldn't even react in time. A smile was still plastered on his face and his hand was still burrowing in his hair. It was the same expression, really, except he's frozen. By interrupting him mid-sentence, the aftereffects would be more prominent. Velvet wanted to display to the world her impatience.

"That's your name. It says so on your coat's right sleeve."

Those weren't interrogative sentences. They were declarative. Proclamations. She had no doubts about her claims, even without confirmation. She was right through and through.

"You caught me?"

Hyoma covered his mouth with the palm of his hand, trying to put on a metaphorical display of catching and trapping the remains of his breath, breath that supposedly escaped from him after putting on an expression of "shock". Yes of course. He was unconscious when he was ungracefully thrown into that dark cylindrical cell with the claw girl and like any other curious cat, she searched him. Wait... did she look underneath the clothes...? Hyoma wasn't worried about those kinds of information leaking to the outside. They can have the knowledge of his name, his former affiliations, his positions, they can have all of that. But if they saw what was underneath the veil...

If only he had a physical heart and some floorboards...

"What else did you find about me?" Hyoma's smile was practically stapled to keep it from failing. It was quite rare for Hyoma to put in a lot of effort into smiling. He was a natural at it, but this one's smile just screams desperation.

What to do with her body if Velvet finds out?

Now the spotlight was on Velvet, who seems...less than composed. For one, it wasn't the face or expression Hyoma was expecting, so his little secret should be staying a secret if Velvet chose the right words. Repulsed. That's what she was feeling. Shock accompanied by repulsion. Her face was just too contorted and it was getting harder to contain the laughter. Look, look, her eyebrow is twitching. Her arm hovered over her midriff, presumably on a path to cover her mouth but stopped halfway. Must be the shock finally registering, halting initial reactions. She even took one step back. Geez, just what was she thinking?

"What exactly do you take me for?! A damn, lowly pervert?! Why the hell would I check beneath your clothes?!"

From shock, to disgust, to rage. Even if she wasn't proficient in the art of personas, she sure as hell can switch masks pretty quickly. But at the very least, none of those masks were the ones Hyoma feared. For now anyway.

"(Sigh...)"

Hyoma's hands were cold, so he had put them in his coat pockets. He sets his sights on the ground once again as a means to cover his genuine expressions. And now, his right shoe was in need of being refitted, so he starts kicking the ground with the tip. Now...he's bought enough time. How to react to this? Well first thing's first is to face her once again under the guise of another innocent, nervous mask.

"Haha...! Relax, Velvet. I was only asking."

So he says as he raises his open hands into the air, indicating that he has nothing to hide and that his question never meant any... perverted undertones. But behind that innocent smile with that innocent expression... "(What on earth was she thinking about?! It's great and all that I'm safe for now, but this reaction was just as bad! Was my face giving off all signs that point to me being a creep?! No, it was my smile! It was so terrible and desperate that she couldn't help but misinterpret it... Now she'll hate me forever...!)" A great and chaotic storm raged behind that veil of innocence. Someone who barely utters out 7 words per day is now uttering 70 words per minute with no brakes, no commas, no periods, nothing to stop his run-on sentences. It was far worse than the literal storm outside.

"Ohoho~ What's this? Why did you immediately jump to that conclusion, Velvet?~ Could it be...were you hoping for something more?!" That figures. Magilou of all people would never miss the chance to transform other people's words and then redirect them back as jokes. Selfish jokes. Jokes meant to laugh at them, not with them.

"Well, everyone's got their taste, I guess. I just didn't expect you to find one so quickly. I'm happy for you, Velvet." And he who is one-dimensional just follows the flow. Though the samurai did lack enthusiasm, so I'm sure even he is capable of sarcasm.

And she who is quick to anger is definitely angry now. Casting that death glare on those two jokers wasn't enough, now she's baring her shiny white fangs. Oh, and add the demonic claw, ready to lunge for their necks. Hyoma would be spared, but only just. Velvet did misinterpret him, so it was her fault. Even in her enraged state, she acknowledged this. Hyoma would be spared indeed.

And poor Hyoma, scratching his cheek upon his amused, widely smiling face, just stands there as a witness to the banter created by such a strange group dynamic.

"(...I really am unlucky!)"

* * *

The black sky continues to rain judgment upon the land and the sea continues to judge the persistence of these virgin seafarers.

Persistence that is slowly weakening as evident by this four-member party's overall exhausted mood.

Rokurou, who had been so eagerly active during the chaos of the prison break, was now unconscious on a couch. Judging from his crossed arms even in his sleep, he was probably trying to be vigilant of any crisis, but it wasn't very convincing now. Useless, then. He even said he would offer what little sailor's knowledge he has.

Now it was Velvet who had to do the lion's share of vigilance and navigation. Well, vigilance is a bit much. She was just standing and staring at the vast sea aimlessly through the castle's windows. But she has made a new friend in the form of a bizarre looking yellow compass, to which she occasionally looks at in between staring out into space. So she's at least got the navigation down, but as Magilou said, abandon any sense of direction once they delved into the heart of chaos. Surely Velvet remembered those words. So why was she looking at the compass with such intensity anyway? Was she reminiscing?

Then as expected of the freeloading witch, she was doing exceptionally well at doing **nothing**. After the violent banter they engaged in earlier, Magilou went straight to bed in a manner that was influenced by a "first come, first serve" basis. She was clearly putting trust into her "teammates" considering how outright laidback her posture and overall appearance was in bed. She was facing straight up, one side of her limbs dangling from the bed almost touching the floor, and her hat laid upon her face, giving everyone their first real look at the flowing mess that was Magilou's platinum blonde hair. Back to more important matters... How in the world was she able to sleep with all this noise and the rocking of the ship? Well there was Rokurou too, but exhaustion was a valid excuse for him, but not for the witch.

Even for an aquaphobic, Hyoma appreciated the rhythm of rain's pitter pattering. It was monotonous and predictable, a welcome break for a traveler who revels in far too much chaos and unpredictability. Now all he needed was a cup of coffee, a newspaper, and a café or an old school diner to finish the appearance of an ordinary member of society. But how ironic it is, that having the appearance of an ordinary member of society with such ordinary circumstances was actually a means of escaping society.

Well, Hyoma had none of those, so he turned to a different form of relaxation, but not before turning his head to check up on everyone. Such colorful expressions on them, he thought. Now, straddling a chair in the laziest way possible as his chin rested upon its back, he engages in fishing. Through a window. Well...there are worst ways to fish, but I don't think he should expect any big fishy fish or a grand feast comprised of sushi for now.

"(Not that food really matters to me anymore.)" Hyoma was tired even before setting up to fish, but after saying that, he seemed even more downcast, both literally as his gaze fell downwards and figuratively as per his mood.

If one looks at the castle from the ceiling, it seemed like these four chose their spots on purpose as they were situated in a way that attempted to be as far away from one another as possible, almost like they chose the corners of a square.

No wait...that's exactly what it looks like.

A brief transition from one character's face to another was in effect before finally stopping at Hyoma's face. And for a good reason. A short, quiet gasp escapes from his mouth, his tired, drooping eyelids shocked with enough energy to widened them for just a bit. Hyoma didn't have some fancy sixth sense like some other "special" people, but he did enjoy monotony as much as he enjoyed chaos and he knew exactly when something disturbs that monotony.

The water was violent, but not from the wind. Hyoma slowly got up from the chair, hands still somehow grasping the fishing rod for whatever reason as he walked towards the window.

"Hey..." Oh? Velvet was capable of emitting such softness in her words? Was her name truly befitting of her character after all? Oh stop it. "Wasn't someone supposed to steer this ship?" She was soft in her voice, alright, but her words dripped with apprehension. A predictable tone, now that the owner of the voice finally realized the grim reality of their "self-steering" ship.

Velvet's voice breaks the monotony for the two sleeping beauties, waking up with little effort, but their bodies were still in a state of disrepair. But reality has a way of energizing its victims no matter their situation, and a sprinting Rokurou was proof of that.

"What?! Why didn't you say so sooner?!"

Yes, yes, he can run as fast as he can towards the wheel, but all hope of navigation was gone. No, not a moment since he started running that tragedy strikes, enough to change the orientation of the boat in a traumatizing way even for experienced seafarers. Rokurou stopped in his tracks immediately, and rightfully so.

"Hah...!" Hyoma was facing the perfect direction to witness this tragedy up close.

"What is it, Hyoma?!"

Hyoma didn't even bother to listen to Velvet's voice as he sprints to the deck, finally letting go of his fishing rod, all the while keeping his head facing the right, not wanting to miss a second of the monster headed their way. It was common sense to follow him. The rain had the four drenched in seconds, but a dirty laundry was the least of their worries.

They all stood at the edge of the ship, looking towards Hyoma's line of sight, and there, under the water, was a silhouette of a sea monster of epic proportions.

"Haha...G-Guess it's your lucky day, fishies...!" Such an out-of-character tone for Magilou! A bona fide nervous laughter and stuttering!

And what a lucky day it is, for the monster finally leapt out of the ocean in such a spectacular fashion that it almost seemed like it was flaunting its gargantuan size. And if a "fish" with pride wasn't enough...

"It's heading our way! Abandon ship!"

And at Rokurou's sound advice, everyone made a break for the waters except for Hyoma, who stood his ground. No, it was more like he wanted to verify this monster's true identity. And what better way to do so than up close and personal?

"...An Epitaph...?"

And that was all he could manage to say before being pummeled along with the ship.

* * *

 **A/N - Epitaphs are the words of the dead. Wait... that can't be all to it...**


	5. Rainbow

**~DS II - Majula~**

"Where did I end up this time...?"

Maybe if you actually scanned your environment instead of looking at the ground, you'd be able to answer your own question. Now look around you. There's nothing but familiar, white death... And something else...

"Ship wreckage."

Scattered throughout this field of white with leave-less trees were the remains of their ship. It was almost comical that at one point, these remains were braving through mother nature and the next moment, has fully surrendered itself to mother nature.

"I don't see the ocean. We must've been launched pretty high up... I wonder if they all died?"

Quite the launch indeed. That whale of a monster had belly flopped on the ship and launching everything under it as far away as a few miles. That ship stood no chance and neither did its crew. But the odds are beaten and Hyoma remains "alive". That aside, how can you possibly "wonder if they're dead" in such a nonchalant manner? Were they that temporary of an amusement for you?

"I think I had a nibble. I get a bite right before tragedy strikes. It felt like a big one too..."

Utter disappointment...

Hyoma was sat on the snow. His arms wrapped around his bent knee while the other leg was kept straight. He rested his chin on his bent knee, arms covering up the bottom half of his face as he looked at the ground, the perfect spot to look at when in deep thought and it helps that he's in a bodily position he does the most. Whenever he assumed this position, he had no intention of getting up anytime soon. And from there, a solemn mask descends upon his face. There was so much thinking to be done...

"…" An audible exhalation. "Give me a break..." Nothing but exhaustion and a tinge of melancholy coated his words. "Of all the places I end up in, it had to be a snow-filled forest..." Hyoma reaches into his coat's inner pockets for his journal and in a flash, manages to flip to the right page. There were no bookmarks and the journal was about 700 pages long, so the only way he could've navigated through the paper chaos is if he's visited that certain page countless times before.

 _ **-Day 7, Year? Amnesia?**_

 _ **"Cold and snowy days. It says 7 days... but it feels like 77 days... This is home, yes? Where all is hostile? It feels like home..."**_

Hyoma could've kept reading, but it was only just recently that he had reminded himself of those moments. No... not reminded, actually experienced it again. Those dreadful 7 days. He had witnessed someone else experience exactly what he went through. Hyoma of all people should've known the power "that world" possessed. It felt so innocent at the time when Hyoma began to alter history in his mind, where he wished that the same ill fate that befell him would not befall onto anyone else. It was innocent, and Hyoma had no intention of going beyond that wish, but his sincerity was enough for "that world" to transform that wish into reality.

"...More like an eternal distortion." His right hand clutched his head, his palm on his glabella. It was a common means to convey pain, but for Hyoma, it allowed a forceful means into the mind. All of his mental workings were in overdrive. "Hazama is indiscriminate. That world serves neither heaven nor hell, yet held the traits of both. My wish became both a gift and a punishment." Again, a long audible exhalation ended his line of thought.

* * *

 _"You experienced it for yourself._ _That fractalic, fluctuating, fragment of reality. I don't want to go on... Not in that arrow of time..."_

* * *

"...That was... me?"

And footsteps in the snow ended his contemplation and exhalation.

A rhythmic pace, one of normality. It was neither aggressive nor languid in its steps. It neither rushed to the future nor hindered by the past. This was a pace meant for wanderlust travelers, a pace Hyoma was all too familiar with.

Hyoma kept himself on the snow, still unwilling to move. Whoever they are, it was none of his concern... But he would wish them safe travels nonetheless, as fellow travelers would do for each other.

From his right, the source of the footsteps emerged. A figure veiled in an aura of tranquil majesty. She was shrouded in a black overcoat, overwhelmingly grand in its size as the twin coat tails trail far behind her in the snow, and its overall design, an enigma to Hyoma. Its sleeves possess an astronomical amount of space, akin to a uchikake kimono and single columns of small green circles and a simple white line encompass the cuffs as well as both sides of the coat's front hem. The yoke of the overcoat was embroidered with several strange yellow symbols and shapes that extended to the turtleneck. An overcoat indeed as it easily dwarfed Hyoma's red and black twintail trench coat, which used to hold the title as one of the largest pieces of clothing throughout his travels.

It follows that under the overcoat, the woman would be wearing a matching black body coat, a frock coat to be exact, equally as large as the overcoat, Victorian in style, fitting close and hugging her body, from the neck all the way below the knees, where the buttons are absent, leaving some leg room. And... are those black greaves? A warrior? That would explain her helmet. Orange was the color of her chest-length hair slightly covered by a black winged helmet that naturally has large white wings on the side extending to the back.

Her only other belongings beside her clothes was an impractically large hand lantern decorated with skulls. A seemingly otherworldly smoke was emanating from the lantern. That was not... normal. But she had such a serene expression on her, an aura of serenity that easily enveloped and overwrote her ominous image. Eyes softly shut and an eternal but faint smile gave the feeling that she trusted the world not to impose itself upon her. And for those reasons, Hyoma couldn't help but keep his eyes fixed on the woman. He who was a complete opposite, welcoming the world's hostility.

"Is she a valkyrie...?"

Hyoma quietly said to himself, quiet enough not to induce a visible, icy breath. He didn't care if the woman noticed him, but he preferred to keep such assumptions to himself until proof has been established.

…

 _ **"Demon? Hero? What does it do?" The crow asked.**_

…

Still, the "valkyrie" continues on her set path until abruptly stopping in front of Hyoma a few yards away and promptly turning to him. It was then that Hyoma finally lifted his chin from his knee, albeit slightly, and looked upwards at the figure's eyes. Ah... Black eyes. Unremarkable in pattern and unremarkable in color scheme. Now then, was it dangerous to assume that? Unremarkable in Hyoma's eyes, yes, but what about the history and the mystery behind her eyes?

…

 _ **"In those days, life often battled against each other. -**_ _ **\- not only brought about a tempest which kept raging for 70 days but also kept scattering hailstones from above...All life has died...deprived of breath. In the end, -**_ _ **\- murdered none other than itself**_ _ **. Shortly after, this place turned into nothingness."**_

…

The valkyrie kept a respectable distance between her and Hyoma as she descended on one knee, lantern still kept in her hand. Her serenity and tranquil majesty truly were otherworldly, for very few, very, very few can possess such qualities and in all situations where Hyoma was met with such an overwhelming aura, he was always very much at ease, as if, for once in a long while, felt that he was protected, rather than him protecting others. That special feeling of being protected was so rare a moment that Hyoma never learned how to react to such feelings. His assumptions regarding unremarkability proved wrong in the end as Hyoma's eyes were kept in a trance by the valkyrie's eyes, even as she spoke...

"What troubles you, oh liberated Soul?"

Ahh... Even her voice was angelic. She may have said her own words, but to Hyoma, she may as well have said, "you're safe now, child". But keeping a calm composure was one of Hyoma's talents as he finally collects himself from the trance, but not before fumbling for filler words.

"You needn't concern yourself with a rogue star in the vast sea of Souls. Your aura, too, is one of wanderlust. Please, do not look behind you as you march onward." A careful choice of words. Hyoma detested engaging in conversations, but by no means does that imply that he was inarticulate. He who can change the tide with words alone, that is but one advantage to mastering the art of multiple personalities. His own smile, though, was instilled with an obvious display of bittersweetness. His inferiority complex was seeping through his mask.

The valkyrie moved a tad bit closer so she can get a better look at the traveler's eyes.

 _ **So**_ _ **it's true for him too...**_

She moved closer still until Hyoma was within arm's reach. And from there, extended her free hand to caress his cheek.

"Ten million years... A long journey marked by Chaos, Cosmos, Neutrality, Moderation, and Amalgamation. Veiled in iridescence, you saw the world from the Skyline Views. Liberated, you transcended to Ad Infinitum as Souly.

…

Eh...? How did she...

...know all of this?

…

"Yet your story still continues."

The valkyrie rose from the ground, returning to her own path, leaving Hyoma with much needed parting words.

"A black crow with its wings of black sheath shall bring forth the winds of revitalization...and thus, heralding ruin upon itself... I am Rosegris, here to wish you, from one traveler to another, a safe journey through the tempest, you, Hyoma, the Shooting Star, Hokulei, of the Star-Wreath.

...

" _ **It was an evil being, wasn't it?" the crow asked the dove.**_

" _ **Nay," the dove answered, as if he was uncertain himself. He exhaled and took a deep breath. "This story still continues."**_

…

Hyoma was left well and truly speechless, but as always, he was good at hiding vulnerable emotions. Deep thoughts and a gloomy concentration became his masks. Rather than a single leg, both legs were now bent and he was hugging them, arms acting as a scarf to his face. Even so, he was more surprised at himself. After hearing all she had to say, Hyoma had expected to react much more violently or perhaps even turn eternally paralyzed.

"It's not every day you have a passerby come up to you and perfectly summarize your life in 7 sentences or less. And... she even knew my name's meaning... Maybe that's why she gave me her name first as a fair exchange. Rosegris, huh... "Grey rose"... Haha... Could the fairy tale be true? The story still continues, the dove said."

Hyoma casted his gaze upon the skies, a different beast now that it exhaled snow. A small, knowing smile washed away all traces of the bittersweet expression from before, a thank-you gift from Rosegris.

"So you chose to play the song, "Majula", this time. Always with the perfect timing, oh sea of Souls."

* * *

The remains of a bird and an oversized wolf lay on the snow, lifeless. Demon or not, death comes for them all the same. For Velvet, death would have to wait. She emerged victorious over them, she, the victor, and to the victor go the spoils. They would become dinner for her courtesy of her demon claw, just as Seres, her enemies, and the demons were. And I'd imagine victory would be a trend from now on, as the path of revenge can only tolerate the winners.

"Truly you are beyond hope. Feasting upon your enemies? Have you no tact? Regressed into a barbarian, have you?"

So the whole party was there. Body count 1, 2, 3, Velvet, Magilou, Rokurou. It makes some sense that they were alive, considering how fast they fled from the sea monster without any regards or concerns for each other, and especially not for Hyoma. Oh no, they ran for their lives. Still, the ocean churned and regurgitated, though not as powerfully for them, managed to land them near the coast. Though if fortune did favor them, something tells me that their "self-steering" ship would've turned into a disaster either way and they would still eat snow.

"Trust me when I say I would quit this line of work if I could. If I could, I would throw this life away...just as long as...he... Sigh... Never mind."

"You have a heavy baggage. Well, you count on me to carry some of that weight, at least until my debt is repaid."

Rokurou was pointing at himself via thumb, but it still doesn't look convincing... I wonder why? Maybe because he wasn't looking exhausted?

"Yes, it would help if you actually fought in that battle, but something tells me you're dangerously more stubborn than I am, considering that weapon has yet to see use."

"It's a long-"

"I don't care for stories." A quick turning of the head has Velvet looking straight at Rokurou, clearly ready to blow at the slightest agitation and the samurai himself wasn't helping to alleviate the ticking time bomb. "This is my fight and those on my path are subjected to collateral damage. I suggest we part ways before that happens." And with that, the snow successfully cools her down as she begins to walk to wherever the path would take her, a convenient map in hand. Now where did that come from?

"I intend on paying my debt, no matter what. If you would listen to my story, then you would know that returning this sword to me practically saved my life."

"And me! Don't forget me! That map is a godsend for all of us, and if not for that, where would we scamper off to?"

See, Velvet? The moment you three converged, all of your fates would lead down to the same road. Whether you like it or not, all of you are controlled by the thread spun by Clotho, your lifespan determined by Lachesis, and the time of your death determined by Atropos. In this path of yours, you have no means of escape.

Rokurou manages to speed walk in time to catch up to Velvet, a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gently swiping the map from her. Surprisingly, Velvet reacted to neither of his actions, not to the shoulder contact nor her most valuable possession at the moment being taken away. Was this her way of accepting them into her circle? If so, it's pretty subtle, but it show's you're willing to grow. Nice going, Velvet. A gold star for you.

"Hm. Considering that Northgand is the only place with snow and judging from the location of the prison island, I'd say we're near Hellawes or Beardsley."

Velvet and Magilou took their places on Rokurou's sides, one with eyes possessing intense focus on the map, and the other with sleepy, skimming eyes.

"Titania huh... So that's the name of the prison. Never mind that. Loegres is right there, so we need a ship up and running."

She located one, single place and zeroed in on that one specific place and Velvet removed her gaze from the map, as if that was the one place ever worth going to and all others are mere stepping stones to get there.

"Right into the heart of the Eastern Hemisphere. Something tells me you have business there. Something very much worth breaking out of prison for-Achoooo!" And as the big bad wolf sneezes, the whole map comes flying right out of the hands of an inattentive Rokurou, germs and bacteria coming in hot towards the general direction. Rokurou, Velvet, and the map were all fair game. Poor them.

"Oh! Goddammit, Magilou!"

* * *

The snow is really starting to pick up. In a few minutes, it'll be a blizzard.

And then, a whiteout.

And then, the trees will be hidden in plain sight.

And then, all reference points and orientation are out the window.

And then, a fully buried Hyoma.

Oh the joys of snow season. Not only is snow almost always present in the worst parts of his history, but it was damn cold. Hyoma initially wore that giant of a red and black coat hoping it would stave off frigid weather, but it all came down to physique, and poor, senile Hyoma just wasn't built athletically or muscularly. The snow would be a bitingly cold reminder of his drifting past and his below-average physique and Hyoma hated all of it... The wind was no joke either. Strong winds became the bane of this 117 lbs Hyoma's balance, though I suppose this time... it's far worse for a 40 lbs Hyoma. It's the damn hair... He doesn't want his precious hair getting messed up, so says the one who would be walking on the sidewalk and if the wind permits, gets pushed out into the road.

Although, things would be different this time around. It began years ago and it ended just months ago, but Hyoma was "changed" enough to the point that the worst a blizzard has to offer is nothing but a summer's light breeze. Inversely, a summer's heat wave is nothing but fall's light breeze. Well, temperature wasn't a problem, but the wind continued to prove relentless. This super lightweight Hyoma had to assume all sorts of balancing acts just to survive the wind, and him walking opposite of the wind's direction helped somewhat, what with him walking with a nearly 45-degree stance. Every step was a battle in itself. There was one time Hyoma was just a tad too late in completing a step and in that one moment, lost his balance and fell face-first, hands and feet digging into the snow just to stop himself from becoming a lethal projectile.

Such is the life of a nature traveler.

Facing the wind, Hyoma had no choice but to shield his face with his arm, hoping no snow makes it to his eyes. A terrible sensation. Though this does make it doubly hard to scan some landmarks or something of the like.

"You are...trying to claim me once again?" He was talking to the snow. Now he's just as hopeless as Velvet, what with the insanity in their minds. "It's tempting, though. So very tempting... I will accept your offer of a peaceful sleep, but...just give me a little more time... Please..." This wasn't a plea for help. This was a mutual deal. Both sides would benefit, as one side would reclaim what should've been theirs, and the other side would rest easy, the burdens of time and reality finally lifted.

No... this was wrong. This was simply Hyoma's inferiority complex at work. This mutual deal is just a fabrication to ease unnecessary pain. What will it take to change you, Hyoma...?

Will change come in the form of a kid just as lightweight as you, coming towards you at 20 something miles per hour with the help of the wind? Oh dearie...it's a kid. Not good with kids, are you. He was good with two of them, but they were abnormally mature for their age so they don't count. So like every other kid, Hyoma has no idea how to react, or if his reactions are even appropriate. Including sticking his foot out in the kid's path, effectively turning snow into a full course meal. How generous of him.

"Hey. You're eating a mouthful of snow there. The snow isn't going anywhere, you know."

Is that a small smirk on your face? Are you actually entertained from tripping a potentially lost kid? Well, it was slightly funny... I mean, thanks to the wind, tripping him made him go at least triple the distance, sliding in the snow and whatnot.

The kid was slow to recover, but upon seeing his precious compass separated from him, he was hit with a jolt of energy and lunged straight for it.

"That compass... Hey, where did you get that?"

Ever heard of instant karma, Hyoma? It's paying for your sins immediately after committing them. Do you need proof? It's underneath you. A magical circle lights up on the very ground Hyoma is standing on, its victim slow to react, first as dumbfounded, then the realization literally hits him.

*Booosh!*

And that fire spell, though muffled in sound, was nonetheless intense, unhindered even from the wind and snow. A magnificent pillar of fire, plus the reverberation causes a deluge of snow around it, as if a bomb had gone off underneath. The trees in the vicinity were completely coated in snow, not a trunk or leaf in sight

"Pfftt... Pleh!"

And somehow, Hyoma still lives. You just cannot kill this man. Not from gravity, from a whale thing, from severe weather, and from powerful magic. No burn injuries, no singed clothes or hair, no ashes. Such bold and monstrous efforts from a nervous child only serves as a slight inconvenience to Hyoma via snow in his mouth. Still, an inconvenience nonetheless and Hyoma was less than happy with the conclusion and the kid earns a small smirk worth a million malevolences rivaling that of Pandora's Box. But it was just malevolence, not evil, not malice. It was a trickster's smile, hellbent on making other people's lives worse, but never to the point of fatality.

"Now you've done it."

Geez, Hyoma... Who would've thought that you can still sink lower and lower, taking pleasure from a child's pained expression. He is absolutely traumatized.

"H-Heeelp!"

"Don't worry. You'll live."

* * *

"By the way Velvet, you familiar with that kid? I seem to recall you calling him by his name. Laphicet, was it?"

On their merry way home. Hellawes was their destination, cold was their path, and casual was their conversation. The occasional hostiles were routed quickly, all thanks to Velvet and no thanks to the freeloaders currently walking at her sides. Velvet stood in the middle, the leader, as it should be considering how hard she's "carrying" them. Her party members were oh so lucky that the monsters are cakewalk, else they become prey too.

Velvet flinched at the sound of the supposed name of the "kid". Mhm, it could only mean "this and that". The comb, her sorrow-coated whisper at the name "Laphi". She was so easy to read. And yet Velvet tries her hand at subtlety regardless.

"I'm not involved with any malakhim, nor do I intend to know them. At least, not anymore."

She clutches a certain object within her hands, a connection between the words she just said and the object itself. It could only be the ring left by Seres, a malak. Former malak. Formerly alive. Such a tragedy...

"Something tells me you'll get involved with one soon. That kid, specifically. Not only is he a servile malakhim, but he also used healing artes on a demon. I mean, helping out a demon isn't normal in the first place, but still..."

Whoa, calm down there Mr. Samurai. You're the only one with their thinking caps on. You'll leave all of us in the dust. What do you mean servile? And who are you calling Velvet a demon for? She isn't that bad.

"And and and! There's that compass too! To think he would pickpocket from a graceless lady demon!"

"Go on!~ I'd like to hear more from you!~"

And with lightning speed, this seasoned prisoner revealed her left arm's true form, and Magilou's neck was the bull's eye. Her whole body was also fair game too. Works for the maliciously smiling Velvet.

"Ehehe..."

While Magilou is over there feebly defending her well-being using her hat, Rokurou keeps pushing forward, map in hand. At least there's one mature person in this group of escaped convicts. Though, this is the perfect time to take a stab at Magilou too.

"Graceless lady demon seems far better than the...thing you're trying to be, what with your appearance and way of speaking. Alliterations, a flair for the dramatic, an age-old, perhaps outdated appearance? I mean, come on. Gah!"

And down you go, Rokurou. A stealthy Magilou with inhuman speeds catches up to the samurai, promptly kicking his shin with all her might, as if she was making a field goal. And despite her fragile stature, it sounded like there was a bone cracking. You really should remain vigilant, Rokurou. You're quickly losing the ability to maintain your appearance as a samurai. Unlike Magilou here, who's image she's properly maintaining.

"I. Am. A. Witch! A witch that projects the appropriate age, proper poise, and condign character!"

Magilou had her finger raised in the air. So she went from a witch, to a trickster, to a teacher. She had the right bodily gestures and all to be teaching a lecture, but there were no students, unless you count Velvet who's making off with the map and going her merry way, and Rokurou, lying face first on the snow, grasping his injured leg.

"Dammit! You're no witch! You're a damn jester!"

Then from a witch, to a trickster, to a teacher, now she became a dominatrix, a foot attempting to dig into Rokurou's back, producing more music to the jester's ears.

"Keep going, Mr. Samurai!~ Such euphoric pleasure can only be achieved from the dysphoric displeasure of others!~ Goodness, now she's hugging herself, a small drool on the side of her lips. What...in the world... Even Velvet had to do a double take to make sure that what she's seeing is reality. It was pretty hilarious. She turned around for just mere moments and uninterested, she focuses on the map again, and then, a voice drowned in euphoria causes her to look again, raising an eyebrow after a delayed reaction.

"All right, that's enough. Do you really want to make that much noise in unknown territory?"

"Hmph. I will heed your advice. Don't be slacking off, you down there."

And with that, Rokurou is allowed sweet freedom again, slowly getting up from his open burial and catches up to his party. Do you consider yourself lucky, samurai? You have two beautiful women in your group.

"I can only sense misfortune in my future."

I agree.

* * *

And all is returned to normal. The group actually manages to walk for quite some time without childish bickering. And for that, they are rewarded with a few, uneventful miles. There was no conversation. But it wasn't because they loathed each other, but they were actually helping each other out. All of them had such uncharacteristic characters when they sought each other out for help with the map and their current location. Velvet would scout ahead and around the group to verify the validity of their map, Magilou would point out potential landmarks in case they got lost, and Rokurou would be interpreting the map. They had such genuine seriousness in their face that one would wonder if they had the potential to truly work together as one, cohesive group.

"Brrr...! The wind and snow are starting to pick up again. How is it even possible to confront white death herself with such a... meager constitution?"

You sure are one to talk. You really are one to talk. To put it simply, you are as if a court jester has 70 percent of her clothes torn off and we're left with what you're wearing, modest Magilou. Anyway...will her words be the start of another childish chaos? I don't think so. All three seem exhausted, and surprisingly enough, Magilou meant no harm in her words. It was honest, genuine curiosity.

"Who said I was human? Being a demon has its advantages."

"Speaking of humans and demons, what do you think about Hyoma?"

At the sound of his name, both Velvet and Magilou raised their ears. The action was not voluntarily, it was on instinct, their curiosity unwilling to be sated until all is known about the lonely boy.

"Ah yes. Our friendly neighborhood wanderer. What ever became of our precious property?~"

Sigh... Will her words ever fail to provoke a reaction? As with the masochist and sadist scenario, Velvet had put on her best, disgusted expression. Mouth slightly left open and a single brow raised. Just a generally contorted mask. Although...was it disgust? There was always the possibility that the mask hid another meaning.

"Since when did you stake your claim on him?"

"Hm hm hm...~ Beats me.~ Such a nervous wreck, that he is. I find that shy, quiet mask of his endearing if you ask me. Ultimately, who knows?~" She says that with such a singy tone, finding the whole situation amusing.

"Shy and quiet huh... I didn't really feel a bad vibe from him, aside from just unusual. Why did they take him in as a prisoner, I wonder...?"

That's right. Rokurou and Magilou witnessed the boy being dragged towards Velvet's cell. He was unconscious at the time, and Rokurou wonders how that could've been. Was he beaten into unconsciousness or something? Beating up a harmless traveler, that's pretty low even for exorcists.

"That's right. You were in the cell block with me. What, oh what could our boy have done to deserve such cruel and unusual punishment?"

At the words "cruel and unusual punishment", Magilou showed her ever-present smirk to Velvet. Let that be a lesson in beginner level subtlety, one that even Velvet can detect. But exhaustion wins in the end, allowing Velvet to stay on the line of rational thought. She was appropriately rewarded with a specific memory that wouldn't have been invoked if not for her cool head.

"If you two are telling the truth, then he was escorted straight to my cell. No detours, no distractions."

"Mhm. Aaand?"

If Magilou's deduction is that correct, that Hyoma was also that strange being the prison bore witness to, then it wouldn't be strange to think that Hyoma was attacked by Velvet in her cell and survived. No one that entered her domain managed to escape from the anguish. It was a prison within a prison. So how did Hyoma escape the depths of despair?

"I attacked him, as I did for all the prisoners before him. And... he didn't die..."

Velvet closed her eyes, allowing easy access into that certain memory. After attempting to eat him up, Velvet slowly lowers Hyoma to the ground. There was no point in being cruel or violent if it means that Hyoma refuses to die. It was just a waste of rage and on the wrong person.

"Not only that, but when I picked him up, it was akin to picking up a feather."

"Didn't you say a moment ago that you were a demon? With a claw like that, why would you struggle picking anything up in the first place?"

"Even so, he was definitely light. At least all the other victims had some weight to them, but he was abnormally light."

"Interesting..." A finger was on Magilou's chin, who looked up at the sky for answers to this impossible dilemma. "Well I would vote for extreme malnourishment but he didn't seem THAT bad. He looked quite normal to me." A sinister smile once again made its way to Magilou's mask. "You missed your chance to sneak a peek under his clothes.~ Now we'll never find all the pieces for the puzzle!"

"Shut it. I wouldn't do that even if it meant solving the mystery. Let him have his privacy." Aw...what a disappointing reaction. Wait, wait! Was that a tinge of red on her face? Was she blushing?! Well, I mean, anyone would blush if they are met with those words and that hypothetical scenario. A boy would blush at the scenario of undressing a girl and vice versa. Though it seems at certain occasions, Velvet is becoming less and less demonic.

"Oh, so invasion of privacy is off-limits but murdering the potentially innocent is acceptable. You sure have a skewed sense of the world."

Talking to Magilou was painful. And pain of this kind can only be alleviated by pinching the bridge of her nose, shaking her head, eyes closed to disconnect herself from a reality that had Magilou in it even for just a short while.

"Let's hope he's ok then. It doesn't feel right that we dragged an innocent, human or demon or not, into our problem group and potentially killed him off indirectly." The voice of "reason" brings the other two back to a level ground.

"Oh don't worry. Something tells me he's not easy to chain down. Nor is he the innocent boy you claim him to be, Mr. Samurai.~"

* * *

A certain golden brown haired malak was lying on the snow on his back. He wasn't soaking in the sun. There was no sun to begin with. He wasn't catching the snow with his tongue. He would have a better chance standing up and actively moving. Plus the blizzard just ended. And he wasn't making snow angels either. For he was confined in a coffin of snow. But the perpetrator wasn't so cruel that he would fully enclose the coffin, so he left the child malak's head exposed, allowing for some breathing room.

Hyoma dusted off the snow from his red gloves and refitted them. A job well done, he thought. And judging from that, it would seem he's only just finished restraining the malak. He was a feisty one all right, bobbing and weaving and sometimes just taking in the full brunt of his spells. It was the case of David and the Goliath. A very pacifistic Goliath. It was just a matter of chasing and keeping the child chained. Hyoma wished no ill will nor harm upon the boy.

"Now then. You need only say yes or no, or if you're not the talkative type, shake your head up and down for yes and side to side for no to my questions. That's not so bad, right?"

Hyoma took his place on a small snow hill, a makeshift chair, but it will do. Turning around to sit, he was met with quite a glare from the little boy. He didn't seem like the rebellious type, so he must've held a personal grudge towards Hyoma. I wonder why?

"Or you can choose not to respond at all. Whatever is convenient for you. All I need to see is your mask."

And promptly, he returned the glare with a smirk.

"First question. Do you know a certain, black haired, poorly dressed, emotionally charged, and potentially insane woman?"

No.

"(No, huh... What a strange turn of events then... If my thinking is correct, this boy supposedly stole the compass from Velvet. Portraying all the traits of a novice thief as he went into a full sprint, looking back every so often for his pursuers. But Velvet isn't known for mercy. The most likely reason this boy managed to escape was probably because Velvet was distracted. It could've been monsters, sure, but she could've easily hunted down the boy as well.)"

He curled his index finger and placed it on his mouth, the thinking arm supported at the elbow by the other arm. Glancing at the ground was perfect for thinking, as there were no outstanding features to distract him. Aside from the squirming child. Let's forget about him for a second.

"(Which means Velvet let him escape. Now the only question left is why. Could it have something to do with "Laphi"? If it does, then something about this boy reminds her of this "Laphi" person. I wager it's the appearance, seeing as how these two shouldn't have known each other for long. And if it is this boy's appearance that distracted Velvet, then it's likely that "Laphi" is her little brother and not a lover. I'm tempted to say that this boy in particular has no connection to our graceless lady demon thanks to his answer... Heh. I doubt it.)"

And with that closing statement, Hyoma gently closes his eyes, perhaps as a way to reminisce all the times when he wrongly thought of ordinary solutions, only to quickly find himself amidst a sea of anomalies. But maybe Occam's Razor will find some use in this journey.

Hyoma would love to stand up, but something else caught his attention. He peered above and beyond the trees and there stood an imposing mountain. A long "Ahhhh..." escapes from Hyoma's mouth, signaling him to look around for more. Even without standing up, the naked trees allow enough visibility to know that more mountains dotted this environment. It seems for the near future, nature will collaborate with Hyoma once more, as it has over the eons.

When he was done, Hyoma stood up, placing his hands in his coat pockets, and hovered over the boy. The interrogation, if you can even call it that, wasn't all that scary. Far scarier was Hyoma's innocent, smiling mask up close. Even without the coffin, the child malak would remain paralyzed. A hint of malice seeped from that innocent mask. The poor malak can only imagine what would happen if that mask were to reveal its owner's true form.

"That wasn't so bad, now was it? It was only one question.~ Alrighty then."

Closer...! He's closer now...! His piercing red and black eyes seem even more insane than before and his smile became so much bigger...! Despite him inching closer and closer, this wasn't a matter of perspective... His smile really did grow...!

"Would you like to participate in a social experiment?~"

* * *

"Look guys, I'm getting a really bad feeling from all of this."

"Why? Because of a little blizzard?"

"Yea. And guess what we're surrounded by."

The party of three scanned their surroundings. Mountains encircled the landscape, some towering way above the trees from a ground perspective.

"Giant piles of rocks."

"Oh Velvet... Has the prison regressed your common sense as well? Big winds plus big snow equals **down** the sleeping mountains go!" A contrast between the ability to still make jokes and the ominous foreshadowing was Magilou's specialty.

"You mean an avalanche?! I wouldn't know about them because I don't live anywhere near such environments, but I heard they're dangerous."

"Dangerous is an understatement. You can't outrun it, and good luck trying to get out once you're buried in snow. It's like being buried in cement."

"And even if you could move, you wouldn't be able to tell up from down. Digging a way out could lead you further into the snow. And then, you're truly trapped."

Not even Velvet is immune to the powers nature is capable of. Fear was beginning to spread throughout her body and her party's storytelling wasn't helping. Fear is a good motivator in this case, as Velvet can feel her feet getting lighter and energy was injected, all in preparation to make a break for it.

"Then what're we standing here for? Let's hurry it up."

…

"...Someone...!"

...

A scream? Forget the avalanche, Velvet was already in a full sprint, leaving a large gap between her and the others in the blink of an eye. It took a whole 7 seconds just for Rokurou and Magilou to respond accordingly before they took off as well.

"This is bad. If they keep shouting, the mountains might come crashing down on us."

"You worrywart. Noise that insignificant is hardly worthy of waking up the sleeping giants."

*KRRRrrrggh*

"Uh oh. You heard that crack?"

"Not just one." Magilou perked her ears, turning and twisting her head in various directions, hoping to hear for more, all the while running to Velvet. It was rare to see her on high alert, heck, even displaying physical signs of caution. I'm sure she can still utter out jokes in such do-or-die situations. "Multiple cracks... And then...comes the thunder."

*KRRRrrsshhggg*

"Oh not good...! Not good at all! Not a good day at all! Nothing good happened today at all!"

"Velvet!"

The comedic duo managed to reach Velvet, who was on her knees. What? Was she praying and hoping she won't die in the crash landing of snow? That's not going to work here...! It's useless and uncharacteristic of her!

"H-Help me out here! The kid's stuck!"

Velvet turned to the party for a brief moment before returning her attention to the kid buried in snow. It was just a brief moment, but the two saw the look of true panic on her face. The blood on her face was drained, a pale expression. It wasn't even her that was in mortal peril, but the kid. She can simply run now to safety and be done with this and yet her face spells the fear of death, no, much worse.

The fear of loss.

Forget praying. This was uncharacteristic of her. Rokurou joined in to free the kid from his snowy prison while Magilou kept a lookout on the avalanche. She, too, can make a break for it and leave these people behind. In fact, she's just about ready to do so.

It's so very tempting.

 **~Journey – First Confluence~**

What is mercy and discrimination to nature other than nonexistent concepts? The many mountains and their avalanches descend upon the earth, unwilling to reduce their speed to give life below a fighting chance. Those in their path, humans, demons, monsters. All fair game, all killed. All were equal before the white death and all were judged by the black death.

From afar, from atop a mountain sat a certain traveler, content with watching the carnage in the lower world. Hyoma's lived for a long time, but views from a summit never gets old. The physical view is not only beautiful, but for Hyoma, perspective formed at the "summit view" is the foundation of his life. The summit held meaning to him. And because the "summit view" unravels reality from all directions, it makes sense that such a view serves important purposes. One such purpose involved a certain demon and her pseudo-brother. Hyoma saw it all, including Velvet's face, the mask that feared loss. Could one call it a mask though? Hyoma disagrees. That face was without a mask, revealing some truth to Velvet's nature.

"On an ordinary day, Velvet would never reveal a part of her true self. It would take something as dreadful as death to invoke one's true self, but Velvet doesn't fear death. It's something equally as dreadful. This white, thanatotic avalanche became the harbinger of loss, and loss is what Velvet fears the most."

Hyoma frantically searches for his journal and a pen, hoping his planned words don't escape him. He looks to the sky for words to write, and shortly after, finds them.

 _ **"**_ _ **From these Skyline Views, I can see them. Do you see it? The colors? I'm so glad that there's so many colors even in this world. So glad... that life continues to live..."**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **"She is the first person I met in this world. Velvet. She lives among the other colors. Her color... Hm... I'd say... "The Red of Anger". She's only one color for now. But I know for sure she'll gain more colors. That's what journeys are for."**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **"**_ _ **I wish for her colors to shine brightly."**_

 _ **Day 1**_

...

Hyoma looked around him, journal still in one hand, pen spinning dexterously in the other hand. Tiny, white shooting stars conquered the sky and the earth, either blazing a path or traveling with leisure. These are Souls, lifeforms visible only by other Souls.

"The "First Confluence" huh... So I take it you all will be watching too? ..."Ascendant's Domain?" Is that what we'll call this world? Oh, this universe's name? That's the name? The official name? Really now? Yes, I'm new here. Not all is new? The "black crow"?"

The Souls flew in a frenzy in Hyoma's vicinity and Hyoma in turn took one last look at Velvet. They knew something, didn't they?

...

"...I've never seen her before...right...?"

* * *

 **A/N - I want to say something important and it's not considered spoilers since it's vaguely mentioned in this chapter. When you see a piece of "music" displayed, it is actually playing in the story. As in, people will hear that music. Of course, like I said, despite not being spoilers, this is still a very important thing to keep in mind. There may be times when my brain isn't working and I'll be posting a chapter without music added because I've yet to find the appropriate music. In those cases, I'll just update them later on.**


	6. A Glimpse of the Time Beyond Time

_"Teacher, why was "Dreamtime" so important to them?"_

 _So_ _raised the hand of one student..._

 _"Well, "Dreamtime" is just like any other religion. It was their way of life, their world."_

 _"Huh..."_

 _Unsatisfied, so raised the hand of another student..._

 _"Why do YOU think it's more special? You always said you stayed away from religious stuff_ _, yet you have this perpetual smile when you talk about "Dreamtime"."_

 _"Eh? Er_ _... Did I make it seem like that?"_

 _So_ _nodded furiously the heads of all the age 16 to 18 students_ _..._

 _..._

 _"I'll tell you next time."_

 _ **"Aww..."**_

* * *

"I... apologize about earlier... For stealing your compass, I mean..."

Currently, Velvet was dusting the snow off of the little malak. It seems they managed to escape from the multiple avalanches, but only just considering how much snow the others are dusting off from themselves. When Velvet was done, the boy put some distance between him and the party of weirdos, setting down the compass in front of him and running away. He still didn't trust them enough not to kidnap him when he hands over the compass in person which is an understandable level of caution when one recalls the dreadful situation he was put in by a certain mischievous traveler.

"Well, what now?"

"I'm going to follow him."

"Is it dinner time already? Remember not to play with your food."

"…"

Squinting her eyes, Velvet showed that she was not playing around when that boy was involved. Magilou put her arms behind her, avoiding Velvet's gaze as she whistled, attempting to deflect her animosity.

* * *

They gave the boy quite a head start as he was no longer in view. But they had to stop in their tracks and duck behind some rocks. There were unwanted hostilities.

"Well, what now again? We can't be storming into the city with exorcists guarding it."

"Did word of the prison break already reach here? Damn..."

Another inconvenience. Big surprise. This day truly was nothing but misfortune after misfortune. First the prison break, then the ship crises, then the avalanches. What next, Velvet wonders? Being greeted by a certain man sipping away at his warm beverage in a warm shelter all the while laughing at them? Velvet's gaze towards the ground in agitation counters the recent misfortunes.

"Hey, there's footprints."

"Hopefully it leads to a back entrance into the city. Preferably unguarded."

The three managed to dash from their cover and into another without attracting the attention of the front entrance guards. It helped that there were others trying to gain entry. To their right was the ocean, once again in plain sight. Only once did it slam into the rocks with immense ferocity as the party of three traverse a narrow ledge, as if attempting to force them back into their watery graves. So close...

"Careful now. The ledge is slippery with snow and water." Ever the manly man, Rokurou led the away, but in reality, served as a meat shield in case a tragedy strikes. He would be the first to go, the girls thought to themselves. Were they joking? It was hard to tell.

"Whew... And we made it safe and sound." Magilou leaned on her knees, clearly the picture perfect representation of fatigue as she gave out a very audible exhalation. Oh come now, it wasn't that bad. All it took was one slip and the water would quickly give the hypothermic treatment, leading to sluggish movements, inability to use hands, slurring, sapped energy and... Oh, maybe it was bad...

Luckily, the chances of being found by exorcists has vanished as their little cave expedition leads to a ladder. The group looked at each other for a good long minute before the girls focused their attention on Rokurou, who, for a man of his caliber, was reasonably confused.

"What? Aren't we going to go up?"

At this, Velvet palmed her face and shook her head in utter disappointment. An unamused Magilou simply took her hat and slapped Rokurou's face with it.

"You truly have no tact."

"Ow...! And what was that for?!" A slap from a hat with no solid ornaments shouldn't have hurt that bad, but Rokurou held his cheeks regardless. Bah, it was just a knee-jerk reaction to predicted pain. But as he looked at the barely clothed witch, he finally understood why. "Ooohh... Right. I'll go up first. Wish me luck, I guess." There was no hint of celebration nor fanfare to his voice. Those words were just feeble attempts to stave off embarrassment.

Magilou was still sniffing, trying to discern what was awaiting them up the ladder, but she didn't feel like gambling with her life today. It's a good thing she wore what she did for this particular situation, otherwise, should she go up first, there might be a chance that she might encounter death.

Anyway... Up he goes, he guesses. A hatch blocked his way indoors, but it was carelessly unlocked and Rokurou simply pushes it open and up he truly goes.

"Whoa..." And he was greeted with a dreadful room, his face paling. He remains paralyzed until the other two make their way into a storehouse. A house storing what?

"Even from way down there, I could smell it. Flamestone! A rare mineral found only in Northgand so far. Mix it with oil and you get fuel. Mix it with sulfur and you get... explosives!" Magilou had intentionally raised her voice when she said explosives, drawing out the intended consequences as Rokurou jumped slightly, as if he believed that loud noises could set off this storehouse and up he truly, truly goes. Up in flames.

"Is that why you made me go first?!" Every waking moment, you continue to fail your image as a samurai.

"You still have no tact."

Velvet was unconvinced of such potential hidden with such plain looking rocks. So she took a few samples in her hands, observing them, wondering what makes them tick, but in all honesty, she was just burning a hole through them as she remained clueless on their workings. But her observations around the very messy storehouse gave rise to a different conclusion.

"It looks like someone's been here recently, rummaging through the materials... or this place is just badly maintained."

"I'd wager that trading companies are more organized than this. This just looks like the work of a thief."

"Our first visit to a town in a long while and already we've encountered evil. Is the outside world truly a cruel place as they say it is in the prison? Will our luck finally run out under these dreadful skies? And all the while, I consider myself an island of virtue amidst this sea of wickedness!"

Yes, yes, your loud, dramatic theatrics are very much appreciated in a place with a short fuse. Explosive theatrics, but nevertheless you manage to maintain that image of yours with such extravagant poses, reaching for the skies as you hold your heart.

"Sea of wickedness? I think we're all a part of the problem."

"I hope this is just a one-time thing. If thievery is rampant, it could spell delays for the maritime guilds. Still, I think it's worth checking them out if we're to have any chances with ships."

"And if possible, have a true sailor." Velvet cast a dirty look at Rokurou, who, not long ago, was considered their "sailor". To be fair, he did say he had limited knowledge. Of course, even limited knowledge means squat if he was snoozing the whole time.

Navigating through the storehouse was harder than it looked. The door was visible thanks to little openings between merchandise, but they were arranged in such a way that a labyrinth better suited the name for this building. Magilou led the way through the chaos and finally, her hand grasped the doorknob.

"Alright... Open...Sesame!"

…

...

Huh?

The sleepy city looked ok. There was snow, people, ships, buildings. For once, nothing peculiar came out of man's side of things, and instead, the sky proved strange.

"Night time already? We weren't in that cave for long, were we?"

"Yea but we also couldn't see the sun thanks to the clouds. Who knows when the afternoon actually ended?"

Velvet wasn't convinced. The storm may have obscured the sun, but she could still tell it was up, trying to pierce through the clouds and show its brilliance. When the party exited the building, Velvet took one last inquisitive look at where the sun was originally supposed to be.

"(I must be overthinking things...)"

Magilou followed Velvet's line of sight. She was curious as well. Why was the day short? Hopefully it's nothing worth stressing over. The world already held enough secrets as it is.

"Come now, Velvet. Let us grace the town with our presence!"

And all the jester could do was keep smiling.

* * *

 **Hellawes** **, Northgand**

 **Night**

 **Clear Skies**

"Light's out already?"

Hyoma managed to enter Hellawes without much effort. At least, that's what I assume... Breathing is normal, clothes are clean, face is calm... And yet, the moment he went inside the city, he immediately craved for a break as if he just finished a 9-to-5 shift. He was currently leaning on a steel fence intended to protect the people from falling into a body of water. His left hand was in his coat pocket and... something else was on his right hand... But nothing about today topped off his biggest discovery yet. Something that miraculously managed to cater to his "break" in this ancient looking world.

"The early darkness is strange and all, but..." Hyoma scanned the town from left to right. There wasn't a need to scan vertically as the sleepy town itself wasn't that impressive. Something else was...

"A world this ancient looking and it hosts cafes? This is even stranger. Granted they're called coffeehouses here, but still..."

In his right hand was indeed, a coffee cup and it, coffee.

He took a small sip, willing to savor the beverage even though it's pointless, and exhaled in a relaxed manner. This was the picture-perfect representation of a "coffee break". It was what Hyoma wanted to do, but immediately held his thoughts on the coffee, expecting a world like this to not have even invented coffee. So imagine his surprise when he tried to visit an inn to crash into a bed and found a café instead. He was so excited he completely forgot to research this world in general. Forget useful rumors, newspapers, books. The coffee came first.

"Stranger still are the weird fashion senses these people have. It should be freezing out here and yet people have the luxury to put style into mere functional winter clothes. Ah well... If it means I stand out less, I approve of this strangeness."

Another sip, but this time, with his eyes closed. Was he perhaps... trying to imagine how coffee tasted before? How warm it felt before? How comforting it would be to drink it under the snow before? But even without the windows to the soul, a small smile and a serene aura were distinguishable enough from him to know that he was at ease, a world of hurt forgotten if even for just a little bit. This was the meaning of repose.

Between his sips, Hyoma looked around him. Snow descended upon this sleepy town with such gentleness. Nature was right to choose tranquility as its theme here, in a town seems to be known for calm. There was nothing gaudy about this town, a trait Hyoma very much appreciated. It was easier on his eyes, so it was easier to understand the serenity that emanated here.

The Souls here were also leisurely in their flights. Well... they are usually like that. After traveling for so long, it was so easy to just lay down and let it all end, but Hyoma knew all too well that this peace is temporary and that his journey won't end on a quiet note.

And on that note, Hyoma was due for another sip to drown those thoughts. One sip, two sips, three sips... He was taking in more coffee than usual. Maybe it was a means to hide his face and camouflaging himself from the intimidating presence?

Although his head didn't move, his eyes never left the intimidating presence. Their every move was predictable, vulnerable, and visible to the traveler. A woman with two little boys closely trailing behind her. Blue, white, and yellow were their attire, so they were definitely exorcists. If the rumors he heard while he was traversing the town were true, then this imposing woman of obviously high rank was Teresa Linares, a praetor exorcist, and one who could manipulate two malakhims simultaneously. Whatever that meant... More importantly, two little boys as her slaves?

"(She loves little boys?)"

Hyoma's smile grew and a quiet chuckle accompanied it. Screw the mood, this was the most irrelevant thought one can think of right now. And of course, no one would know this as his cup of coffee was conveniently hiding his face. Always the type to humorously downgrade all forms of intimidation.

"(Ah, and the boy from before is here too. It would be bad if you looked over here, so don't look over here, please.)"

Wherever the exorcist party was, Hyoma looked the other way, still somehow taking a drink. Then when the party passed him, it was all clear. He could spy on them all day.

"...need a ship."

"Sorry, but we can't help."

"Why's that?

Hyoma could hear the voices and followed the source. Velvet and Magilou. Aren't they missing someone? Probably someone unimportant if Hyoma couldn't remember.

"Looks like they made it... I knew you guys could do it."

A victory sip to celebrate their survival! But wait, just a few hours ago, you were casually wondering if they were dead without a care in the world, as if the conclusion, whether they died or not, didn't matter.

"Under my orders, guild business is currently suspended."

So says the leading exorcist.

Just as soon as Velvet turned around to meet the exorcist, she immediately turned around again, hoping to hide herself into obscurity. This was no doubt the Teresa Linares they heard about as they made their way into Hellawes, a praetor exorcist with the ability to summon and control two malakhims at once. She was dangerous... Velvet cursed herself for not being careful enough. It's only been a day since the prison escape and a few minutes into this city and already she was in the presence of one who could possibly send her back to prison.

"Lady Teresa..." A quiet, submissive voice spoke amidst the emerging tension. It was the boy from before.

"Did I give you permission to speak, Number Two?"

And Teresa's piercing gaze and voice cuts "Number Two" off completely. Alright, Number Two is your name and will be referred to as such until a different name arises for you, Number Two. And Number Two slowly lowers his head in defeat. I wonder who wears the pants in that threesome relationship?

"Slaves?"

A long sip. A long, audible sip. Audible enough so that the head honcho could hear it, but not audible enough to identify the sip as rude. Hyoma played the sound as a means to replace the crickets chirping, seeing as how nobody is reacting to Teresa's show of force.

"Hehehe..."

Magilou was sitting on a small set of stairs covering her mouth as she laughs at the sipping. She flashed the V sign at Hyoma, intending to attract his attention and it works. In return, a smiling Hyoma flashes back a small hand wave. Velvet misses their interaction completely, considering how hard she was trying to veil her presence.

"Lady Teresa, how long must this punishment last? You know Dyle is the one at fault, don't you, Milady?"

Teresa crossed her arms, disappointed that the guild is willing to single out the culprit and throw him under the bus if it means business will boom again.

"I know Dyle was the one smuggling flamestone, but he was still a part of your guild. And a guild, much like any forms of teams, share responsibility. My restrictions are supported by the Abbey to bring about order." Daggers were flying out of Teresa's eyes and into the guild mates. She would not tolerate disobedience is what her demeanor said. "Are you willing to go against the law of the land?"

"Of course not, Milady...!" The shipping guild master waved his hands frantically, fighting for his innocence. And then he, too, lowers his head in defeat.

"Hm..."

Hyoma wanted to comment, but no effort was made to do anything. He didn't change his neutral expression, he didn't change his stance. He just kept drinking the coffee. It was far too early to be making judgments. But a bit of "mindless wondering" couldn't hurt.

Teresa gave a knowing nod and loses her crossed arms and opts to hold her hands together as she leaned on her leg. Her face loosened up as well, a scowl being replaced by smiling lips and smiling eyes. Maybe an opinion of her and her masks could be formed if Hyoma could actually see her damn face...

"When Dyle is captured and properly interrogated, your business shall be lifted of all restrictions."

Very diplomatic.

Naturally, when the conversation ended, Teresa couldn't help but focus her attention on the oddity to the right. A woman in clothes that are practically useless in a place like this. Scratch that, impractical everywhere but in sin cities. Nevertheless, Teresa kept her motherly expressions intact as she addresses the woman.

"Aren't you cold dressed like that?"

Good... She hasn't noticed that Velvet was an escaped convict and potentially the most dangerous prisoner... So Velvet could at least attempt to turn her head towards a high ranking enemy.

"I came here from the south. I was unaware of the extremities Northgand possessed..." Velvet hugged her body in an attempt to warm herself up and ended her sentence with a snuffle. Hyoma saw the whole thing in action.

"I did not know that northern areas were cold, she says."

Teresa shook her head in disapproval.

"A young woman ought to keep herself warm."

"She believed it...?!"

Hyoma almost regurgitated the coffee back into the cup, but managed to drink it down before that happened. But because of that, he couldn't help but cough and choke. His little crisis manages to earn the attention of his surroundings, including Teresa and Magilou, the very look of confusion upon their faces, before returning to the matter at hand.

"Thank you for your concern. I'll try to get some warmer clothes next time..."

"Hm..." Hyoma wanted to comment again, but really, all he was doing was mindless wondering.

And so Teresa and her two boy slaves continue on with their patrol. Magilou stood up, willing to give her opinion on the state of things.

"A show of power to subjugate those without power. What a cruel world indeed. And so I will reiterate! In this sea of wickedness, only I stand alone as the island of virtue!"

"If you want to declare to the world your self-proclaimed virtue, then do it without me around. I don't feel like going back to my cell."

"Hmph..."

Velvet went straight into a standing Thinker's pose once more, trying to formulate a plan to get them a ship. Well the simplest solution can become the correct solution, right?

"So let's get this straight. If I offer you Dyle, then you can offer me a ship. Is that a deal?"

Simple enough.

"That's fine and dandy, but Dyle is a demon who's killed every exorcist that tried to pursue him. It'll be no small task..."

"I don't care about the details. All I want to know is if you're willing to accept the conditions." Again with the short fuse... Velvet crossed her arms this time around, tapping her arm with her index finger, a mask of impatience.

"Sigh... Very well then. But don't say we didn't warn you. If you want to start somewhere, start with the small village just outside of here. After that, prepare for bloodshed. If you succeed, you'll have a ship.

"Remember. He's a demon now. Show him no mercy."

"We'll see about that."

"Hey, Velvet." A tap on the shoulder to get Velvet's attention and once she's nabbed it, Magilou points to a certain traveler still sipping away at a certain beverage. It seems Velvet never noticed him, courtesy of her gaze trying to avoid Teresa.

"Oh. He's here."

And away they go. To Hyoma! And Hyoma spots them walking his way. He's going to have to talk, isn't he? Goodbye, loneliness.

"I was almost convinced by your little display of deception there, Velvet."

*Sip*

Velvet walked past Hyoma a bit and leaned on the fence with her arms, facing the opposite direction as Hyoma. The body of water below reflected her eternally present scowl on her face. Wait, what scowl? On her face was one of calm and relaxation.

"But it worked, didn't it?" A long sigh escaped from her mouth, a sigh that contained a world of trouble. It was a much-needed thing for that sigh to escape and lessen the burden on her shoulders. But this wasn't enough. She would need a nice bed and a nice long sleep to end this day and move on to the next without much worry weighing her down. "Anyway, how did you do? How'd you get here?"

"Hm? Why the easy questions? I did alright. I just entered through the front gate."

*Sip*

"You what?!" Velvet took her eyes off of the reflection in the water and turned her head to meet Hyoma, who was still looking straight ahead with no particular subject or object to look at. "There were exorcists at the gate!"

"Soooo...?"

"C'mon, just a sip...!"

While the conversation was going, Magilou was itching to get a taste of the coffee and was willing to fight Hyoma for it and the poor mugged victim tries to keep the cup away from the jester.

"Nope. And why would I be worried about the exorcists? I'm not on their list. I'm not the bad guy."

…

*Sip*

…

And cue the laugh track...! If there was one...

"Hah! As if anyone would believe that!"

Magilou, still trying to snatch that cup of his. It shouldn't be too hard, considering that their height were a mere 7 centimeters apart, with Hyoma being 167 cm and Magilou being 160. And on a similar note, Hyoma was a mere 3 centimeters short from Velvet's 170 cm height. Ouch... Another woman who was taller than him. He'll probably have to look at Velvet again straight in the face later to receive the full effects of being a shorty. Right now, protecting his drink was the utmost important.

"Sigh... And to think we went through all that trouble and the most suspicious looking person in an extravagant red and black attire that stands out in the snow would just stroll inside the city. If only reality catered to the needy..." A palm to the face completes the look of utter disappointment and failure as she returns her gaze to the water, shaking her head side to side.

"Ah well. I guess I got lucky.~ Cough, cough!"

Success! Magilou managed to tip the cup just little bit to ensure Hyoma got more than what he expected. And with his guard down, the cup of coffee was hers! It was a good thing he didn't cough in it. The whole plan could've been ruined otherwise. Quick reflexes my boy! Quick, quick reflexes! But hey, coffee is coffee!~

"Sluuurpp... Aaahhh...~ That really warms the heart."

When Hyoma was done wiping his mouth with his red gloves, a terrible thing indeed, he shot a quiet, hostile look at Magilou. Oh, he was going to get revenge alright. Magilou paid no attention to the man left of her and kept the coffee to her selfish little self. Both hands held the coffee, but I don't think it's a sign of warming the hands, but to keep the thing in her possession. A slight disgust made its way to Velvet's face.

"You know... he drank that already, right?"

*Sluuurrp*

"...Never mind."

"Enough about me. How did you guys fare? Judging from your reaction to my easy entrance, not so well, I imagine?"

Hyoma regained his composure and leaned back on the fence, his left leg slightly bent and his hands back into his coat pockets. Like before, he continued to observe his surroundings, looking for... something.

"Avalanches. Lots and lots of avalanches! From all sides, the white death herself came to take back what was hers! But then, we spoke about our wishes, that should we ever cry out our dying breath, all shall be without regret knowing that we can entrust the future to you!"

How in the world can you manage to be so dramatic while holding a cup with both hands and thus rendering a majority of movements immobile?

"Haha...! Thanks!~ Now I feel complete." There he goes again, rubbing the back of his neck in a show of embarrassment and quickly hiding his hand again in his pocket.

"I don't remember wishing something like that."

"Aw..."

Just as quickly as his mood went up, it went crashing down. Velvet was good at that. His hand emerges to scratch his cheek in another form of embarrassment.

"Oh yea, where is your other party member? Did he die or something?"

Such casual morbidity with such a neutral mask! Such types of morbid jokes were one of Magilou's specialty, and though Hyoma just stole her job for just a moment, she couldn't help but smirk, coated with malice and everything. She might just give this boy a chance!~ Of course, this contrast in tone and the gravity of the words served only to disturb Velvet. It was the same with Rokurou, who was disturbed by Hyoma's lightheartedness under such somber circumstances.

"He didn't...die. He's still alive and he went to search for a weapon shop."

"Huh? Wasn't he wearing one?"

"Sigh..." Velvet wasn't new to that information. She said those same exact words at least twice and got the same response twice. Being reminded of the stubbornness caused Velvet to pinch the bridge of her nose in distress. That damn, stubborn samurai... "That's exactly what I said. Do you want to know what he said?"

"Nope. People with an unhealthy amount of stubbornness are usually the first to die, like Rokurou.~"

Straightforward in message and casual in tone... Hyoma raised his voice for the last two words to create a tone of light-heartedness, turning death into a joking matter. And the message did specify Rokurou, but someone else was specified in it... And it was Velvet, who acknowledged the message as having been directed at herself despite not knowing that Hyoma already knew of her inner workings. In response, she looked upon the waters once more, not out of calm relaxation, but of calm anxiety.

"Oh..."

That was all Velvet could utter out.

Hyoma made an effort to shift his eyes all the way to the left to see Velvet's expression without garnering her attention. His head remain unmoved, but it was clear as day. His words worked. But there would be no celebratory masks or smiles for this occasion. A suppressed sigh would escape from his nose. It would take a lot of work to fix Velvet...

"(At the very least... she is able to think about it. For such a vengeful person with unbridled rage in their eyes... this is a good thing.)"

Are you hoping to fix her, Hyoma? Funny. It wasn't too long ago that you chose not to interfere with the lives of others anymore. Already this choice is about to be broken by someone you barely know for a full day. Though I suppose... you do have a knack for helping those who are capable of change...

I just wish you would heed your own advice...

 **~P** **5 – Beneath the Mask (Rain/** **Instrumental)~**

And the sounds afterwards would be filled with nothing but Magilou's quiet but joyous moments with Hyoma's drink and Hyoma and Velvet opting to stay silent and enjoy the peace. All three knew this peace wasn't going to last, but all three have different scenarios in mind for how that peace would be broken.

Oh, but there was one moment when Hyoma wanted to ask these two if they saw Rosegris, that mysterious, lantern-wielding, valkyrie-esque individual. However, individuals that hold that much aura in them are... a picky bunch for a lack of a better description. The level of significance Rosegris possessed was the same as certain past figures Hyoma encountered that later turned out to be either his most trusted ally or worst enemy. A shadow of himself, an amalgamation of himself, a white-twintailed hair scythe wielding moon goddess, Death herself... Yea, in that order. Pretty important people. And only Hyoma was graced with their presence hundreds of times before appearing even once to other people as the invisible ties that connected them were majestic in magnitude. Rosegris was just like that. So there's only one conclusion.

"(I doubt they've seen her...)"

That was Hyoma's mind. What about Velvet's mind? What went through hers? Nothing interesting really. The calm was replaced with questions and hesitation. Should she confront Hyoma about what the group discussed earlier? Like what happened to him that resulted in imprisonment? Why he is supposedly unable to die? Or why he's so light? Or if he's even human? Velvet was capable of being straightforward too, but several factors, some of which are unknown even to herself, are preventing these words from being spilled, one of which that even Velvet knew Hyoma enough that he wouldn't answer these questions. Sometime after, she realized what the unknown factors were.

She remembered her words about letting Hyoma have his privacy. Yes, those words. The feeling wasn't strong enough to make an impression, but something within Velvet refused to invade Hyoma's privacy. It was times like these that she wished she had Magilou's level of analysis. The witch already peered inside Velvet's mind with little effort, so it was likely she did the same to Hyoma. But like Hyoma, asking Magilou for information was going to be a long and painful process.

"(I don't think that's a good idea...)"

"By the way, what're you still doing here?"

It was Hyoma who broke the two out of their light stupor. He of all people didn't want the peace to end prematurely, but their company was unneeded. It was getting uncomfortable being surrounded by two barely dressed women. Well, being around women was always an uncomfortable experience for Hyoma, a trait that stood the test of time in the span of eons.

"I mean, you're welcome to relax a bit, but I think Rokurou is more important for you all." With that said, Hyoma breaks off from the fence and turns to face the two, a genuine smile gracing his face. "Better get a move on, you two.~"

"Aw... Already? Oh well... Such is the nature of life, where no good thing lasts forever! And that goes double for you two, Velvet, because from this moment on, I can longer grace you with my presence!"

"What a loss. How tragic. Poor me."

Unamused. Sarcasm. A lot of those and more for what is supposed to be a blank expression on Velvet. Well whatever. That's one less freeloader, good enough to motivate Velvet's feet to start moving and away from headache incarnate.

"One down, two to go. What happens to you now, Magilou? I would think circuses are a lost cause and a failing business in an oh-so serious world like this?~

"Ouch... Knocked me right off my feet... For that, you shall pay dearly!"

Her arm swung dramatically and landed right in front of Hyoma, her other hand tipping her hat for added dramatic effects. What did she want...? Like any other defendant with no credibility, Hyoma opted to put his hands up to defend himself. Defensive the gesture may be, but he can still be playful, especially when a funny thought crossed his mind as Magilou held an empty cup in front of him.

"Sorry. Soliciting isn't allowed.~"

"Argh! No, you dummy!"

"Fine, fine. I'll take it off your hands."

"The world becomes a better place when everyone cooperates. Mhm... We did good today."

She crossed her arms, smiling and nodding to herself, convinced that their actions were one step towards spreading joy to the world. I think it would take more than that to be convinced of such...ideas. After being content with the convincing, she extended a hand out to Hyoma.

"Bring it here and celebrate the conclusion of our short but jolly cooperation!"

"Haha..."

In return, a nervously laughing Hyoma extended his hand to meet Magilou. He would be rubbing the back of his neck like for every other time he's embarrassed but the cup was preventing that. It's a surprise he's even partaking in such an act with a woman. Their presence was one thing, but physical touch with them was far more uncomfortable. But alright, Hyoma supposes that this one gets a pass. I mean, just look at Magilou's white, flashy smile!

Their little handshake extended beyond its lifespan and when it was time to part, one side of the party covertly _entangled their fingers with the other_ as their hands slid apart, perhaps a little reluctant to let go.

"And with this... our paths have become independent once more." And as the curtain is about to close, the performer bows to the audience.

"Fare thee well!"

For some reason, Hyoma expected Magilou to vanish with the use of smokes and mirrors and so on, but to his surprise, Magilou simply strolls on out of here. What an anticlimactic way to exit the stage, especially for one so eccentric and so immersed into the role as Magilou! Oh well, she was out of sight, so she was out of mind. Well... she would be out of mind if Hyoma didn't return his attention to the empty cup in his hand.

 _ **There was no warmth. Not a trace of it. Even through the barrier, I felt it. I felt nothing. That red hand was void of everything. It was unlike the red eyes that contained everything. Would you believe me if I said those "nothingness" and "everything" told the same story?**_

 _ **There was solitude. They chose it, knowing it was the easy choice. Then they chose solitude again, knowing it was the hard choice. That's why they were reluctant to let it go.**_

 **~P** **5 – Beneath the Mask (Rain)~**

"Right, right... I have to return this. A small price to pay if it meant she would reveal another mask of herself. But more importantly, who of us actually think we'd never see each other again? This is just the calm before the storm after all."

Despite the one to advice breaking off, Hyoma is the last to leave the scene as he makes his way back to the coffeehouse to return the cup or perhaps for a refill. What an odd policy that a customer can merely exit the building with their property. Did they trust the people that much to return them? Is this what they call good faith?

He gazed at the night sky one last time. The glowing white shooting stars, the Souls, continue their aimless journeys, invisible to all but the awakened ones. And above these Souls were the real stars, selfishly keeping their luminous majesty and taunting those in the lower worlds. And yet, even with such degradation, Hyoma observed those still outdoors that also cherished the starlit night. There lies no reason for their stargazing. But for Hyoma, the night sky was candy to his eyes and music to his ears, the Souls clearly visible as they orchestrate songs of their choosing and Hyoma has little resistance against their perfect playlists.

"Hm hm hm hmmmm..."

And so he hums and sings along with the Souls quietly.

Hyoma would've liked to enjoy his sights for a little while longer, but trouble would stir if he stayed outside, so indoors he goes. A voice can be heard with increasing audibility as he neared the coffeehouse.

"...She's lauded as the "Frozen Queen" of the exorcists. Cool as ice and pure and dazzling as freshly fallen snow, the white knight that Hellawes needs!"

"Oh great..." Hyoma tried to make his way to the counter without putting in effort to look at the source of the commotion, all the while looking at the other customers and employees, searching for their reactions. And sure enough, they all looked upon the fanatic with aversion. "Here's your cup."

"Thank you, good sir. Another cup, perhaps? The same order?"

The young bartender seemed tired. A young man, perhaps mid-twenties. The first time Hyoma saw him, the smile was wide and flashy, as you would expect from one who serves customers. Adult customers. Sometimes, anyway.

"I feel really bad for you right now, so I'll take you up on that." And with that, Hyoma claimed his seat on the counter, taking care that his coat's twintails don't get caught. So it was for a refill. But why? You had other priorities. Hyoma didn't even need to provide visual subtle cues and clues to pass the message effortlessly.

"...Anyone who disturbs her order, whether human or demon, will be frozen by her wrath, soul and all!"

Because someone else can do it for him. The bartender multitasked, providing orders, cleaning the cups, and hopefully become an engaging conversation partner to Hyoma.

"What can you do, right? He's a paying customer. Good enough for me." He was working his miracles from behind the counter. He didn't rip through the place like a tornado as the place was already satisfied, but his methods are still unknown even to those who analyze the slow pace creation. Coffee must still be new in this world. He'd take note of that. "Here".

And from one hand to another.

"Mm."

"...The way she glares at the filthy... If only she would at me like that with those ice-cold eyes... Teresa! My love!"

"…"

The cup never made it to his mouth as Hyoma lowered his head and shook it in silent and subdued disgust. He was trying to enjoy what little joy there is left and even that was becoming impossible. The bartender agreed with the disgust. He pitied the poor man as much as the poor man pitied him.

"Maybe the outside world can help cool you down?"

Hyoma shook his head side to side. No sound came from him. He didn't like the idea. Several minutes ago, that would've been nice... But exposing himself now would be a bad idea. There was another reason he wanted to break off from Magilou and Velvet.

"(Oscar probably contacted this place already... The news will reach Teresa, and she'll immediately recognize Velvet as an escape. No doubt Magilou would be captured too. She was seen with Velvet after all. I'm lucky she didn't see me with those two and I hope I can continue to push that luck by hoping that the other exorcists didn't see me with them.)"

A silent toast to that luck of yours. But getting captured isn't what you're interested in. It's the thrill of being captured that's amusing to you. No danger can ever hope to befall you, so you may as well fabricate danger. Let's see how well you can dodge the spotlight.

"I was outside to clear my head... Recently, I became an amnesiac. I don't remember anything... Not even this world..."

The grand old amnesia story. It doesn't have to work fully, it just has to provoke the favorable responses.

"You have amnesia? That's news to me. I've little to do, so perhaps I can enlighten you with a bit of history and a general idea of this world?"

A nod this time around. Now things are getting somewhere. Finally, some information about this new world...

...

"Altjira is the name of this world. It is "dreamtime", a world where time is beyond time. Or so they say. No one really knows the origin of the name, but some assume it is because we hardly know the history of this world, nor of how life even started here."

"(Altjira... Dreamtime... Dream...time...")

The bartender continues.

"Anyway, there's an eastern and western hemisphere. We are on the eastern hemisphere, which is dominated by the Holy Midgand Empire. The western hemisphere... is a bit of a mystery to us easterners. There's no land connecting the two and the sea on both sides stretch so wide that seafarers would die before setting foot on land."

"So it's the dark side of the world for you. Has there ever been traces of contact between the two hemispheres?"

"There's no real evidence of that, but there are a lot of myths that suggest we have contacted each other, and that the world beyond our own is a mystical place. But myths are often used to fill in the blanks. Take what you will from them."

"(A world that doesn't even know itself... It's not unusual... Earth depicted a history where two entire continents were hidden from public until many centuries later... If I use that world for reference, would this world be undergoing the equivalent of the Age of Discovery? Or... is something else preventing the discovery?)"

That wasn't usual either. For example, a certain world managed to hide an entire city that never slept. A giant, sinful whale was responsible for all those who would dare try to discover that dreaming city. Hyoma was almost expecting giant monsters depicted in this world's maps. He would laugh, but at the same time, he too would be guilty of letting his imagination run wild if he were to become a cartographer.

Wait a second... That already happened.

"Ah. Here. Before we move on, let me get a map of the eastern hemisphere. It would help tremendously in your ventures."

The bartender set his sights on everywhere that would contain a map. Shelves, drawers, his own pockets. Local maps, island maps, anything works if it meant it would ease the suffering of a lost traveler. He managed to produce in his hands 2 maps, one with a detailed local map, and the other, the eastern hemisphere in its entirety, and handed them over to Hyoma as extra thanks for his continued patronage.

"Sitting comfortably? Then let's move on... Starting with..."

Hyoma wasn't paying attention, all eyes on the world map. A lightbulb at the top of his head prompts him to take a pen out of his coat and draws on the map, committing his first vandalism.

"Since the...-"

"Here."

It wasn't long before the world map was given back to its owner, with a few modifications.

"Um... What should I say?"

What should the bartender say? What can he say? A dot was drawn right where Mount Killaraus was and teeth were "artistically" bared at the Northgand Gulf. What was he supposed to say to this?

"It's a dog? Did I guess that right?"

His words were followed by a snort, trying so very hard to suppress the laugh that was breaking through. Hyoma had to look down to hide his smile. Because if he looked at the bartender's confused look, he'd have an uncontrollably good time. So he did his best, head down, to nod in confirmation, and when he finally thought he was composed again, he could show his face again, a smile unsurprisingly stuck on his face.

"Your world is a very funny looking place."

*Smile*

"… I'm going to continue. Since the Holy Midgand Empire encompasses all of the eastern hemisphere, there's only one capital city and that's Loegres, located in Midgand, or the middle continent." There were two giant pieces of land located near the middle, so the bartender pointed at the location on the world map for clarification. There was no hesitation, and there were no last-minute changes, so Loegres is indeed the capital city. That's obvious enough, but Hyoma just needed a confirmation to check whether Loegres was that prominent even outside the continent. "Loegres is known as the "Jewel of the Oriental Skies", but more recently became the "Jewel of the Empire"…"

Hyoma checked the young man's face for symptoms of hesitation. After all, he did start off with the capital city's former nickname before reintroducing it with the new nickname. That pretty much only means one thing...

"Let me guess. You're not fond of that new nickname, are you?"

A glance to the left, his work coming to a halt. That was Hyoma's bingo, letting out a victory smirk.

"Was it that obvious?"

"It was obvious before you even said anything. That goes for everyone here. The way you all reacted to an exorcist fanatic told me everything."

Upon remembering the fanatic, Hyoma looked to his left for any signs of him. There was no more subtlety in his spying. If the fanatic noticed him, let him notice. Hyoma was ready to give an earful anyway. However, it seems he left the establishment some time ago. No wonder it was so quiet, but it was a miracle he left the place without making a last-minute ruckus. His absence meant the people's masks have loosened. They should enjoy the atmosphere freed of choking, exorcist nonsense.

"Mm... I know you have amnesia and all, but I hope I can deter you from the wrong path. Not all of us are happy with the exorcists and the empire. Don't generalize."

"Don't worry."

Only once did Hyoma make eye contact with the bartender. His eyes were practically glued to the maps provided to him. It never hurt to prepare for the future. But his attention also encompassed the bartender, so even with his mind elsewhere, he understood the priority was the story, not the present situation.

"Sorry about that. I think I left off at Loegres." The bartender began to move again. Hyoma's spot-on prediction left him paralyzed but not in fear, but in realization. "Well, I did say I was going to tell a general idea of the world, which means we're not too far from going over the present..."

The bartender paused for a moment. This was a first. He was consistent in his storytelling, so why falter now? Is the present time the juicy part of the story? The bartender shook his head, staving off the negativity that surrounded the present time.

 **~Drakengard** **3 - Descendeus** **(Instrumental) ~**

"Altjira is a unique world. There are other planets in this system, but for some reason, only ours experience an unexplainable phenomenon known as the "Scarlet Night" or if you're lazy, the "Red Sky". A red sky? Scarlet night? Hyoma was skeptical. Phenomena like that were common in other worlds. Haven't these people heard of full moons? "We didn't know when it started, but the Scarlet Night occurs every three years. There is nothing particularly special about the Scarlet Night... I mean, nothing happens during those nights anyway, but..."

And there's the "but". There's always a "but" in these kinds of stories. It meant trouble and trouble was what Hyoma was looking for. Trouble was so ingrained in him that even his body will react without Hyoma himself ordering it, like his ears that just happen to perk up on their own.

"9 years ago, on a Scarlet Night, there was a giant pillar of light in Eastgand that lit up the entire night sky. Almost everyone saw that light show. Those that didn't would feel the effects anyway. Because on that day 9 years ago, demons surged in numbers. It was on that day that demons no longer had a place in myths. 9 years ago, that particular Scarlet Night came to be known as the "Opening" or if you're fancy, the "Overture".

Hyoma wanted him to keep going, but he had to stop him for one question. Just one, he promises to himself. One for now anyway.

"You said surged in numbers. Does that mean demons already existed before?"

The bartender had the look of small shock on him. This was quite a unique audience for him. Guess he underestimated the attention span this young man had. It was admirable. He needed more customers like these.

"Demons did exist before the Overture, but they were few and scattered so not many people believed in them. It's like introducing snow to those near the equator or the sun near the poles. They are myths." Hah! He can certainly say that again. Those sorts of truths always hurt. "Demons back in the day usually consisted of abnormal variations of preexisting lifeforms. They could be giant birds, an even more grotesque looking cockroach if that's even possible... and so on. But now, even humans can turn into demons. Or maybe they did before and we just didn't know nor cared enough to know. Nevertheless, they had one thing in common, and that was their hostile nature. "

"I wasn't expecting well-mannered demons anyway."

Hyoma shifted his eyes to the right, a small smile gracing his lips. He said that with such overflowing confidence, knowing it was very true. And he had Velvet to thank for. She served as an excellent piece of evidence!

"Well, the hostility of demons is a given. But personally, mother nature was already hostile anyway." The bartender understood the shift he was put into. The graveyard shift. It was a shift that allowed him to be lax. And if need be, allowed for rules to be broken, in small doses of course. And that meant taking breaks whenever he wanted. Including serving himself coffee. Don't worry! He'll pay for it. "No one really knows why the demons became prominent but a widely accepted theory states that most demons were invisible prior to the Overture. So something must've happened to demons that made them visible to the naked eye. Or maybe something happened to people. Who knows?"

"(Widely accepted theory? Something smells about that. That's what the second act of the story is about right? He did say overture, which means it only gets worse from here.)"

Nice catch. The Overture is a prelude of things to come.

"So 9 years ago was known as the Overture, and it was prominent for revealing every demon to the world. Another revelation was due. And so, 3 years ago, in another Scarlet Night, the same pillar of light in Eastgand appeared. This time around, it was malakhim that appeared before us. There were stories about their existence and it seems they were right beside us all this time."

"(Gee... Malakhim huh... Malak. I wonder where THAT came from. Haven't I encountered enough angels in a lifetime?)"

Take a sip, Hyoma. Not all angels are bad. They're just... obsessive when it comes to serving. That's the only thing they're good for, after all. And the "angels" here are likely no different. Just drown the thoughts.

"That year was dominated by Artorius Collbrande. Along with a band of malaks, Artorius cut down the demons on his path to Loegres and was deemed a savior. They named that particular Scarlet Night "Advent" to signify Artorius' emergence into the world stage."

The bartender took a good long sip and he wasn't going to stop there. It meant there was more to come. Or maybe he was nearing the end? Either way, he stops for a moment in case Hyoma needs to catch up. He tries to read Hyoma's face and understands that the man has yet to look at him in the eye for at least a full second. Hyoma was still looking at the map, and for some reason, his refilled beverage has yet to decrease in amount. Either way, it didn't look like he was paying attention. Not that the bartender wishes for this pure, unadulterated amnesiac to learn of "Artorius the Savior".

He took a look outside through the windows. The snow was still gentle in their landing, but the exorcists that looked creepily straight into the establishment ruined the scenery. What? Did they smell something "disorderly" or something? Was it his thoughts? Could they read it? They can kill him anytime, he doesn't care. Better than what this world has to offer. He scanned the customers' faces and knew they thought the same thing. Then it was back to staring at Hyoma's unreadable face. Still nothing that shows signs of exposure. It was impossible. But contrary to his thinking, Hyoma wasn't really serious about the whole situation. After all, the story still continues and it is still far too early to form coherent thoughts. So please, Mr. Bartender. Continue.

"Exorcists did exist before him. Don't know when they started, but they were already fighting demons prior to his ascent into fame. But Artorius' reputation made it easier to rally the scattered exorcists under his wing and together, formed the Abbey, with him at the top."

"Who are the prominent members of the Abbey? I doubt he alone could support an organization this important."

Why do you ask? Are you planning to kill them? You're the one advising yourself to wait and see what happens. Hasty, hasty. See, look. The bartender is even giving you a weird look and Hyoma recognizes it as a look of suspicion. He suspects an innocent question but not his amnesia story?!

"(Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to do anything.)"

Hyoma fires back with an innocent smile guaranteed to win the court's favor. He meant no harm. How could you possibly accuse him of wrongdoing?

"Well the Abbey is split up into three groups. They are the orderly, praetor, and legate, from weakest to strongest."

The bartender said weakest and instantly, Hyoma remembered his orderly disguise. For just a moment, he was an orderly exorcist who managed to sneak past Oscar, a supposedly strong praetor. He could've killed him when they finished trading glances, but the stolen sword he had on him would be used for only one reason. To secure an escape. If there was no one that hindered the goal, fine. A clean sword it is. But that one exorcist just had to ruin it. So it was the watery grave for him. That poor exorcist, doomed to an eternity of ignorance, not knowing why his "fellow" exorcist stabbed him in the back. It wasn't even a clean kill either. It was intentionally made to hurt as Hyoma stabbed, twisted, and slashed within some more. And if that wasn't enough, he kicked the body to the ocean.

"The exorcist the fanatic was gushing over is Teresa Linares, a praetor exorcist who holds a special relationship with fellow praetor exorcist, Oscar Dragonia. Siblings, I think. And at the top, we have Melchior Mayvin, Shigure Rangetsu, and Artorius Collbrande. Well... the only ones at the top that we know of so far."

"(Rangetsu...)" Notice a hint there somewhere? Or is it too unimportant to matter? "(Definitely not related to a certain, one track minded samurai...Definitely not. Let's just move on.)"

"As you can see, with their power to calm the chaos, the Abbey have been given the power to rule the entire Oriental. They demand that you throw away your emotions in favor of reason so that we don't turn into demons. As you already know, not all of us are happy with that..."

As if on cue, a certain conversation from a table nearby is sparked to life.

"...To hell with order and rules... Curse those stone-hearted exorcists. Is life worth living without a drink?!"

It was a drunkard and his conversation partner, a yes man, nodding. Maybe.

"I almost wish I came down with demonblight so I can drink their blood instead."

Hyoma didn't need to turn around to witness their conversation in order to better understand their words. It was plain as day. Their hatred can be experienced through touch alone, as a tense aura surrounded the table and spreading throughout the building.

"That explains the faces of everyone here. Is this coffeehouse some sort of refuge for the unhappy?"

Well, typically, cafes are used to unwind from reality's harshness. Why not this one as well?

"Coffeehouses, bars, and even diners are basically establishments where those willing to let loose their complaints aren't punished. It's kind of a silent agreement. We all promise not to reveal ourselves to the system. If we can do that, then we can enjoy our time here."

"They have diners here?!" That was what you focused on?! "Hamburgers and all? French fries maybe? Pancakes, eggs, those kinds?!"

"Er... I would think so, yes. But French... fries? What's... French? They're just fries."

"Oh no. It's nothing. My bad. (So they even have diners in here. Like... American-styled diners? If so, I'm definitely down for that. Well I guess it's too late now, but I can still imagine their taste.)"

Mr. Bartender, are you sure he's actually listening? I think he's made more irrelevant comments than relevant ones. Then there was the map drawing incident...

"(I reacted too violently... I already experienced a lot of worlds with mixed eras. This is really no different. I mean... **It could be worse**. Artorius of this world could've been Artoria Pendragon all over again. It was the biggest twist ever, to find that King Arthur was actually Queen Arthur. Well that was just one form of the Arthurian stories.)"

…

...

"(So in a way, these establishments are kind of like speakeasies. No one is allowed to talk about them or talk about what goes on inside those establishments... A refuge for those with a voice.)"

"Oh well. You can't satisfy everyone. Maybe we lot are just selfish people, but throwing away emotion all together is a bit much."

"Don't think like that. Selfishness is good. Sometimes."

Hyoma was quick to give his opinion. Here they were, the voices of the secretly liberated. They do not wish ill will upon the Abbey, but upon the policies they established. Well, to Hyoma, hating the Abbey was fine too. He wasn't about to let these sorts of people become discouraged by the idea of rebellion. And the bartender notices that, his weak smile backs it up. Maybe that mask of his wasn't all too bad.

"Hm..."

The Abbey, the history of the world, the crises. Those things. Ponder what needs to be pondered

"I would talk about the churches as well. Like the Empyreans they worship and such, but I'm not really religious. You can look them up yourself."

"Aw man. Does that mean the stories end here?" An oddly placed forlorn look happened upon Hyoma's expression. Did he actually enjoy the history lesson? "What a shame. The night is still young, you know."

"Cough... Haha...!" The bartender tried to get out his laughter before realizing he still had liquid inside his mouth, causing a sort of mixture between a laugh and a cough, but his smile prevails in the end. He looks at the clock on the wall above the entrance. "It's about 4 in the morning. I would think the night is about to end."

Hyoma has yet to look at a clock in this world. He was so disorientated. Time and place had no say in his mind. Sure enough, when he turned around to look at the clock, it was early morning. Just an hour past the witching hour. Was it coincidence then that at 3 AM, he was with Magilou? Ah well. Superstitions and all that. But more importantly...

"(So this world completes its rotation in 24 hours, too... That's convenient. I won't have to modify my journal's time then. So if I follow the date from back then...)" Hyoma reaches inside his coat for his journal, looking for his last entry before entering this dimension and upon seeing the date, dejection spread across his face. "(That's right... September 22, Year 10,000,285. Myr Annum 10... From beginning to present time...)"

Of course, with him turned around, the bartender can't see the look of sadness on Hyoma, but his silence was unnerving, especially after putting energy and effort into strengthening his spirits. And yet, all is well when Hyoma turns around again to face the bartender. How quickly his personas change. In his hands now was money, laying it on the counter in exchange for the maps, which he neatly folded and placed into his coat's inner pockets.

Boy, was it worth it to loot those exorcists' corpses for money. All their savings in one basket, some which could've been meant to feed a family, buy that ring for the women they loved, or go back to school and avoid being an exorcist. But no. It would all be used up by an undeserving interloper.

"Thanks for the history lesson. It was like back to school all over again."

The energy has been sapped from Hyoma, the weakness in his smile started to show. The bartender wasn't a psychologist, so he probably assumed that the smile was one of exhaustion. Nothing else.

"Oh no. Thank you. I exchange a lot of meaningful words with the customers, but it's been a while since I talked for this long. After all, not a lot of people are awake nor have the energy to talk."

Hyoma looked up at the ceiling, pausing before thinking of a response. The fan that circulated the air was suddenly an object of interest. It kept spinning. An endless cycle. One complete circle and on to another one. Does it ever get tired of it? Then finally...

"Heh... Do I know that feeling."

"Ah, by the way."

Hyoma would be on his merry way, but the voice of the bartender brings him back in.

"Hm?"

"I noticed your smile when I was introducing the world's name. Do you... know something about Altjira?"

...

 **~Drakengard** **3 - Descendeus~**

An all-knowing smirk now spreads to replace his tired one. Hyoma got up from his seat, and used his hands to help him stretch his aching back. When he was done, he started to fix his coat and refitted his gloves, being especially careful that none of his clothing show skin below the neck. The bartender only now just took in his whole appearance. Straight but unkempt black hair, crimson eyes with distinct, sunburst-esque designs, a massive red twintail coat with black lines for designs, a grey collared long sleeve shirt, black trousers, red and black shoes, with a pair of red gloves. Considering his general appearance, relaxed face, and calm demeanor, the bartender wanted to assume he was about mid-twenties...

…but something about him prompted for a much larger number. Ah well, it wasn't his business.

Without a farewell nor another word, Hyoma left quietly. It was truly a shame. It would be a while before the bartender would get another customer like him. He was very unique indeed, both in appearance and character. It was far too late now, but better late than never, even if he wasn't there anymore. Under his breath, the bartender spoke.

"Take care of yourself, traveler."

Just outside the door was Hyoma, who stood still for a moment, wondering what his next course of action should be.

"...Sigh..."

A long sigh, accompanied by the icy breath. He would fix his gloves again, one finger at a time, a habit of his. It gave him something to do but such an action also held multiple connotations. It was a means to distract, to hide nervousness, shyness, and all of that. This time, however... It was just a bad habit. An obsolete habit. An instinct to preserve the warmth.

Obsolete because there was no more warmth.

"I did see an inn... Maybe I'll try there. I'm so tired... I'll just... YAAwwnn... think about what I just learned tomorrow... Goodbye, day 1 in this odd world..."

Ah, finally. A destination. Set aside all that somber nonsense and take the bed by storm! Er... Ok. Or Hyoma can just stroll his way to the inn. Or... no...

"Hold on a second."

The inn was on his line of sight, then turned to the right slightly, eyeing a large building.

"There is that church..."

…

...

Changing courses then.

No rush, no hurry. His hands found their home in his coat pockets. All of him was kept secret from the world. But the world never kept their secrets well from Hyoma. Hyoma always kept his eyes open, ready to observe the world. Their secrets have long been revealed and as for the snow that fell to the earth, Hyoma can only smile a weak, quiet smile.

...

Though... he never did answer the man's question. Why had he smiled at the mere mention of Altjira?

* * *

 _"Teacher, will you tell us now?"_

 _"You mean... about "Dreamtime"?"_

 _So_ _nodded furiously the heads of all the age 16 to 18 students_ _..._

 _"Well... for starters..."_

…

…

 _"_ _**I wouldn't be smiling if it didn't exist."**_

* * *

 **A/N - This chapter is basically the calm before the storm. The... "end of the beginning". Besides that, this is basically just laying down some foundations like character relations and foreshadowing. Also, I will be changing some of Berseria's elements. If I remember correctly, the world's name was Desolation and I didn't like that. It's like calling Antarctica "Iceland 2.0" or Sahara Desert just "Desert". So it will be renamed to "Altjira" instead, after an Australian Aboriginal deity. Can't be spoiling any more than that other than the fact that Altjira and the "Dreamtime" will be playing a plot larger than Berseria's. So if you want, you can do some research on it to predict some events. I can give a hint though. The fact that coffee and cafes and diners and modern clocks and modern calendars exist is not for some silly reason. Different things from different parts of a timeline converging into one world is important in this story so don't think they exist for the sake of existing.**


	7. Fall Season

"Hello there.~"

I say that to everyone, but you're a special case. Aside from natural interference, you always greet me, so I will greet you back. Or maybe... You're getting tired of it? Ah, well... Even if you are, I will still greet you. I hope... I'm not a bother to you.

...

The sun finally revealed itself, its luminosity piercing through the room's windows. It was a comforting sight for those who missed the sun the day before, but it was still a deception, as even the ball of flames wasn't enough to heat the frozen landscape of Northgand. The sunshine slowly crept up into the bed, eager to shine a light on Hyoma's journal as he flips the pages back. Maybe for review or for counting the number of days?

"It's going to be lonely without you. But at least that means I won't have to count how many days it's been since I started writing anymore.~"

Hyoma was sat on the small bed. It was plain and simple, just like the rest of the room. No doubt he chose the cheapest one. Well, it's not like poor ventilation, cold drafts, and spooky, squeaky floorboards are a nuisance to Hyoma. Two out of three of those were null and void. Though there was the matter of blankets and pillows thrown overboard. This was always a common occurrence. Hyoma was restless in his movements in bed but strangely enough, sleeping anywhere else was fine. No movements. But that hardly posed a real problem. As far as he's concerned, Hyoma would never ever share a bed anyway, no matter what.

Hyoma was still drowsy. The physical realm was negligible, but the mental realm was something else. Headaches, mind-numbing exhaustion, sleepiness. Those were problems. And yet, even in a daze, Hyoma manages to keep his date updated. Day one to day however-many-days-there've-been. Daze or no daze, Hyoma never missed a day to update the date. And so here he was, resting his sleepy head's cheek on a clenched fist while holding his journal in the other hand. It was a new page.

"Hm. Let's do it like always, then."

 **Personal Date - September 23, Year 10,000,285**

"Right... The location aaaannd area too..."

At a snail's pace, up he goes, the remaining bed sheets doomed to disorder. The world was still blurry. Truly it has been at least a mere 3 minutes since he woke up. But it must be done. So thought Hyoma as he held on to a desk just to keep himself from falling face first as he looked out the window. Sure enough, 3 minutes since he's woke up, so of course the sun was blindingly bright for his slowly adapting eyes.

"..."

And it didn't help that the snow-coated roofs reflected all that wonderful sunshine, giving off a kind of light one sees near death. There would be discomfort, followed by Hyoma holding his arm a little above his head to create a cover for his half-asleep eyes. But not to worry. The sun, no... The celestial objects in the sky, particularly, the stars were always loved by him. Hyoma could never come to hate them nor could he fault them. The pain he once felt from absorbing so much light was his own fault. And eventually, Hyoma would lower his arm and finally take in the sight of Hellawes from above.

But none of that actually happened, right? Hyoma remains unmoved in his appreciation of the amount of generosity the sun gave off selflessly. An equal exchange demands that the sun direct the red eyes towards it. All of it. All. Of. The. Red.

...

What a sleepy town. Barely any outdoor population. Must be the ship business. They're probably all working in the docks or somewhere near it...

...

Right, the journal. People watching can wait.

"Hello, world. Hello again there, sun.~"

 **Hellawes** **, Northgand**

 **Morning**

 **Clear Skies**

All he needed was a little alone time and a good look at the world and smiling becomes second nature. As a traveler, these were all Hyoma needed to keep himself happy. However, something tempted him to just scream at the top of his lungs. It was the perfect opportunity, after all. He had a bird's eye view of the town, it was morning, and he carried a world of burdens. Oh, that last one... All the more reason to scream. Still, that was an embarrassing proposition.

"Like this is fine. Yes... just like this..."

And after a few good minutes of staring at the world, it was back to the journal. Hyoma looked at his journal longer than needed. It was a look of unfair critique. Something was missing. Something very important. Hyoma had to tap the journal with his pen a couple more times hoping whatever was missing would magically reveal themselves. Wishful thinking.

"That's right. The date for this world. Hm... How could I forget?"

You may as well ask what's for dinner to a person hanging at the edge of a cliff. You know full well why you forgot.

Hyoma's lowered head quickly retracted to its original position. He was facing the window and into the outside world, but there was nothing of interest out there. No, this was the expression of realization. As if he suddenly gained the ability to sense what could not be normally sense, Hyoma quickly turned around and managed to lock on to the target of his eyes without even adjusting his position further. And there it was.

"Ah! A calendar..."

Hyoma's utter disappointment with himself caused him to facepalm, well it was more like a smack to his face and his hand just happened to be glued there. He lowered his head and shook it, his hand still glued to convey the picture-perfect expression of disappointment. Luckily, there were remnants of composure that filled his body once more and urged him to examine the calendar up close.

"I'll forgive myself for this."

And that's what you always say but the truth is, mornings were never your strong suit. And often times, you're a little hysterical. Nay, you're unpredictable in the mornings. That's why it's dangerous to wake you up prematurely. No, wait... It's more accurate to say you're not good at sudden wake up calls. Mornings aren't a problem. Well, anyone would get cranky if they slept from 4 to 5 in the morning, but still...

"Let's see... I left Aurora at September 23... And somehow... This one's calendar is also September 23. But it's year 465..."

Hyoma raised an eyebrow. It wasn't the strangest thing. What is strange is why such a seemingly trivial trivia managed to invoke a reaction from him.

"Huh... Hm..."

Hyoma was already lying to himself. An idea already formed in his mind as to why this coincidence was too convenient. Same calendar system, same names, same date, even... He didn't want to admit to it but lying to yourself was impossible. You had to know the truth to be able to lie. So there was no point in hiding now.

"Hazama..." Hyoma kept looking at the calendar, searching for an alternative answer amidst saying his own answer, but the train of thought cannot be stopped. There was no point in staring at the calendar, so Hyoma sat back down on the edge of his bed, entangling his hands so that his chin can rest upon them safely. "Even when scattered throughout different universes, pieces of Hazama still shared the same time."

So a piece of the homeworld of Souls lies at your feet?

"There are some unrelated worlds and universes with the same clock, but... this place... I'm seeing a lot more Souls than usual." Hyoma closed his eyes for a moment, thinking of the many ways this fact alone could change things and then shook his head and stood up, adamant not to let such thoughts hinder him. "Ah well. Hazama or not, this place is new to me. So in the spirit of adventure, I'll enjoy whatever this world has to throw me. It's what I'm best at after all...!"

Hyoma was back in action, newfound determination and energy filled his body, enough to move his pen again. And it was business as usual with his journal.

 **Altjira** **– September 23, Year 465**

"Year 465. I didn't even see that. Oh boy. How many coincidences will I encounter this time around?"

Year 465? Oh... That's par for the course considering the last part of the history lesson you learned. Get ready for subtler and not-so-subtle references to that part of history. Let's just hope history does not repeat itself. Otherwise, I'll be left to watch you dying like the worm you were beneath the foot of the Goddess of Rhongomyniad.

T-That doesn't count! She had all of the Round Table knights! Against one small boy...!

"Oh no!"

W-what? Why on earth are you shouting?

"I missed this world's transition to fall season..."

…

…

...

"...Hoo! Ha! Sei!"

Dear...

"...Sei! Ha! Gyah!"

...god...

"...Hyah!"

...no.

Hyoma scratched his head, all traces of positivity leaving his body. He did still wake up not too long ago after an hour's sleep, so he was easily irritated. Mind you, Hyoma's not easy to annoy, but being woken up so early does things to him. Hopefully this will be the only time Hyoma sleeps so late and wake up so early, with appropriate pessimism on the former.

* * *

"As if sleeping late and waking up early wasn't bad enough... Then he goes to being a crazy demon in the ungodly morning hours."

Now if you're looking for an easily irritable character, it would be Miss Velvet. One wonders if there's a trace of gentleness coming from her. Or maybe a better shower thought would be, will she be able to grow some traces of gentleness? In any case, she too was staying at the inn, but what room does she have relative to Hyoma's is a mystery. Well they both managed to hear Rokurou's girly screams so either they were close or the samurai was just being loud, which is appropriately annoying considering the sleepy state of Hellawes.

"...Haah!"

"Huh?!"

Her teeth were clenched now, baring all of the pearly whites, all four canines ready to tear apart the next thing that so much as touch a strand of her hair. It was that kind of level of irritation. But at least we know that she keeps her teeth clean. Now the only thing left to do was to exit her room, make her way downstairs, go outside, and beat the vocal cords out of Rokurou.

That was the original plan anyway...

…

"He stopped? Geez, about time."

And yet, even with a small sense of calm, Velvet still ruffles her hair, making a point of her easily irritable attitude. Nevertheless, Rokurou was still a teammate, unfortunately, so checking up on him was mandatory. Checking to see if he's physically ready to act as a meat shield and die for her, preferably in a fashion where he kicks and screams and rebels before accepting his fate. Well... there goes hints of sadism on her part.

And as she makes her way downtown, she happens upon a room, door open all the way to the point where the knob was touching the wall. Velvet wasn't willing to intrude into Hyoma's privacy, which is why she chose not to look under his clothes, but that same respect for other people's privacy was gone here as curiosity drove her to sneak a peek inside. She was peeking from the side. Was she afraid of getting caught or something? Since when did a criminal and a demon care about that? Well, things were already paradoxical before this, so I guess that doesn't really matter at this point.

What greeted her was chaos. It is akin to reaching the final stages of entropy.

No bed sheets were in their right spots.

Absolutely disgusting is what Velvet's face said to the world... Wait what?! Is that all to it?!

"Sigh..."

A gesture of disapproval by way of shaking the head side to side. It wasn't anything drastic in movement, but the disappointment was there. Was she a clean freak or something? That would explain her overly dramatic exaggeration towards what she calls "bed chaos". She may have been a demon, but there was still a strong urge to don all clothes necessary for housework, a trait from her old self.

Anyway... Time to move on before getting caught.

As Velvet descends from the stairs, an all too familiar figure captures her attention. Nothing else mattered at that moment but to give him and only him her full attention.

*Siiiip*

"Eh...?"

It was just stop sign after stop sign. At this rate, you'll never get to see Rokurou again if you keep making stops. What is so important this time?

*Siiiip*

"Hyoma? You were staying here?"

"Hm...?"

Even if only a day has passed, even if Hyoma was facing the other way, sitting down on a table amidst several other tables with several other people, that red and black coat of his will forever be glued into her mind. And that same distinct, long, black, bed hair... Forgetting him was impossible now. And solidifying that memory were his piercing red eyes, now visible as Hyoma turned around, designed after the appearance of a star at the moment of its death. It was no exaggeration to think a piece of the cosmos was contained within, and just like how addicting it was to gaze upon the stars in the night sky, it was equally addicting to stare into Hyoma's eyes.

There's no way... Velvet could forget about Hyoma.

"You're staring too intensely..."

It took about 5 seconds into the staring contest for Hyoma to cast his eyes down in embarrassment. Normally he could maintain eye contact for 7 seconds if he was engaged in a conversation, but that time is cut short when silence is all that's present. It was awkward and embarrassing. Add a girl into the equation and it's just a mess at that point and Velvet was by no means "lacking" in any way.

As for Velvet, she stared at Hyoma longer than 5 seconds, clearly in some sort of trance. It was only after she shook her head and pulled out of her trance that she realized she was staring too intensely, much to Hyoma's dismay.

"Grow a spine. There are worse things out there than making eye contact."

And it was back to good old Velvet. But even she didn't expect to rebound to normalcy that quickly, especially considering what just happened. She expected to still feel the aftereffects of being pulled into Hyoma's image, maybe a stutter here and there, but she was equally as relieved to be able to hide all traces of her trance.

"Ahaha..."

A self-deprecating laughter. Quiet and weak. A mix of humor and inferiority in such a small laughter, a long history clearly behind them. Hyoma returns his head to default position, his eyes now scanning the food laid out on the table and considering the amount and the variety, Hyoma intended to suck the inn dry of their food facilities. He wasn't planning to stay long anyway, so he might as well make the most out of it even though, as one would recall, was still useless to him. Well, even if it was useful, the food didn't look at all tantalizing and Hyoma's indifferent eyes towards them was proof of that.

"You're right. There are worse things out there... I'm just being a coward..."

That was that. Once Hyoma turned to face his table, he would not turn around again. There was no point in making facial contact with Velvet. He expected her to continue past him, perhaps to check up on Rokurou, Hyoma thought. Hyoma was good at staying under the radar because he was nothing too visually impressive. At least... compared to all the other "special people" he met. It was his actions that garnered attention and from then on, all those who would come to know what Hyoma was capable of doing stuck to him like glue, whether both parties liked it or not. But for those who never witnessed Hyoma in action, he was a fleeting figure. An ephemeral shooting star. That's why Hyoma expected Velvet to continue on without further developments.

That's...what was supposed to...happen.

Maybe if the Schrödinger's cat experiment was right, two separate events might've occurred right then and there, one where Velvet didn't sit down with Hyoma, and the other where Velvet did sit down with Hyoma and of course, one would automatically assume that Velvet did not sit down with Hyoma. But until you observe if the cat's dead or alive, there's no way to tell.

But Hyoma did observe it, all the possibilities collapsing into one truth.

The cat was alive and Velvet sat down with him.

Velvet did indeed slowly walk to her destination, the seat opposite of Hyoma, and plopped into it, and sighed a sigh of relief-releasing exhaustion. And all the while Hyoma never moved an inch, his cup of coffee, no doubt coming from the coffeehouse a few walks down, still in front of his face. His eyes still moved though, scanning Velvet in her entirety, actions and all. Still, there was no change on his neutral face. If he was surprised, he's certainly not showing it.

But I'm willing to bet he was.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

As if to emphasize her face, Velvet gently touched her cheek. A hint of actual curiosity. Did she really not know why Hyoma was silently staring at her? Or was she being sarcastic?

"Haaa..."

Hyoma can offer no explanation for Velvet's behavior. It's not that there wasn't one, it's just that Hyoma wasn't willing to explore further. He admits defeat, but the soft and soothing sigh that escaped from his small smile suggests this sort of defeat was one he could get used to.

"It's nothing..."

Yes, just like this. This is fine.

"Nothing at all..."

And that was their morning conversation. The food was left untouched, but the other beverage Hyoma was saving, tea from the looks of it, Velvet took for herself. Before, Hyoma lost his interest in the food, now he lost interest in his coffee as well, simply swirling it for amusement and observing the spin to induce a trance. A weak effort to distract himself.

Every so often when Velvet took a drink, she would shoot glances at Hyoma whenever he wasn't looking. And that wasn't hard to do. Hyoma's nervousness, or so she claims is what it is, dictated the direction of his eyes, and it pointed anywhere but Velvet herself. So, upping her game of confidence, she took longer glances at Hyoma, hoping to make up for the that time in prison where she couldn't get a good look at him.

Even when his eyes darted everywhere except the bubble that contained Velvet, Velvet could make out his eyes again. She really couldn't pull away from his eyes. They must've held so much gravity to be able to attract her entire attention towards them. Hell... it was enough for her to just freeze in place just to make out every single detail that composed the red eyes. Well... not EVERY detail. The story behind those eyes, Velvet couldn't figure out, though exhaustion and fatigue do come up for her description of those eyes, a pity considering their beauty.

The saying "getting lost in someone's eyes"? She couldn't agree more.

And that mop he calls hair. It was wavy, it was unkempt. Well... It was straight for the most part, but... Velvet wanted to believe his hair was like that because he just woke up, but even from the darkness and distance of her cell, those cowlicks stuck out, so that mess of his was his preferred hairstyle. Small, but numerous. She just couldn't help but think that it was Hyoma who inhabited that the tornado-struck room. The clean freak in her was urging her to just fix those cowlicks, but Hyoma would never let her live that down. So, for now, she lets it be. That wavy, unkempt, jet black hair can remain as an iconic part of him, and Velvet will just have to learn to like it. It did place a certain, unique kind of charm to him, Velvet noticed. Besides, it would be easy to identify him should the need arise to call out to him.

Lastly, his clothes. Calling him overly dressed for any occasion was an understatement. The most daunting portion of his appearance and no doubt his prized possession was his large, ankle-length tailcoat with an equally large collar that, if looking from the side, would cover the bottom half of Hyoma's head. She could tell it was made from polyester and it was in pristine condition. That's an odd fact, considering how chaotic Hyoma's life was in the past 24 hours. Attached from the inside of the coat was a three-button waistcoat. It was hard to tell, but it was combined with the coat. The color red dyed nearly the entire coat, save for a few black lines that ran across all the edges of the coat. It wasn't big on the design department, that's for sure. But what bothered her was how the red colors made Hyoma strikingly conspicuous. He would be an easy target solely because of it. Velvet can count the number of times she saw a coat THAT large and THAT red with just one hand, nay with just a finger. Once. Then there was the issue of the dog symbol on his right sleeve and his name embroidered right below. Either "Hyoma Hokulei" is a brand name and the dog, Galm it was called, is their symbol or that coat was custom tailored, to show that the coat belonged to him, and Velvet opted for the latter thought.

Velvet kept looking beyond his coat. Beneath it, he wore a button up, high collar sweater dyed entirely in black. It gave a sort of pseudo second line of defense for his neck, considering there were 2 collars... Either way, he wasn't going to get cold with those on.

Thanks to the coat's redness, Velvet didn't even notice the gloves Hyoma wore. They, too, were red in color, simple in design, likely serving its role like any other gloves – to keep his hands warm. He didn't look exactly physically built for winter time. And thanks to her noticing the gloves, she also noticed a watch that adorned his left wrist, though it was largely covered by the sleeves.

And though she couldn't see them right now, she did recall Hyoma wearing black, slim fitting jogger-style pants and your standard black and red sneakers, completing his full appearance.

"(I must admit... He's very well-dressed... I've never seen anyone dressed like him before. Though... If it wasn't for the red, I'd mistake him for one of those fabled "phantom thieves" I read about…)"

Very true. But what thief worth their salt sneaks around in broad daylight?

It was only after fully analyzing Hyoma in his physical entirety did a certain thought even cross Velvet's mind. Why hadn't she struck up a conversation yet?

 _It's quiet_ _._

She had so many things to say for this mysterious figure and now she's berating herself for not doing so.

What was he? Who was he? His age? His occupation? Where he lives? Does he have parents? Why was such an innocent looking young man thrown in the worst prison of all?

 **What was his story?**

Velvet hadn't care to ask the abnormal things like how he managed to escape the prison or how he survived the crisis at sea or about his supposed immortality. Those thoughts never even crossed her mind, a big change from her past self. No, no, she would want a normal conversation with this normal looking person for once. She never once gave him a chance. Sigh... And after Velvet's little screw-up... with her insulting Hyoma and telling him to grow a spine... And gods... the incident at the prison... even if he was immortal, he might've gotten hurt still... She doubts Hyoma would give HER a chance...

"(What... was I thinking... I thought being a demon was going to be easy... But... if my humanity came back just because of a normal interaction, I'm not... ready for this...)"

And on that last thought, Velvet had to avert her eyes from him. A tiny part of her admits she wasn't worthy to look at him anymore, not after the horrible things she did to him. Rokurou was right. They might well have dragged an innocent person into their misfit of a group's troubles.

...

And that was what Hyoma Hokulei was trying to do. How do you think he manages to avoid lingering eyes even with such an intimidating, flashy red coat and overall attire? His clothes, strange, his aura, normal. The only task he must continually accomplish is to turn a strange aura into normalcy.

Hence, hiding in plain sight.

...

Hyoma on the other hand, despite the wandering of his eyes, was fully aware of Velvet gawking at him, his clothes, everything. Gods, it was embarrassing. Did she see the blush? Please tell me she didn't see it...! Shaking his head, he's decided he's had enough. He would try something different.

"Can I... see your hand?"

Still, he did not look, nay, dare to look at her eyes. Red is typically a scary color for eyes, but it's how one uses and presents their eyes that truly dictate their story, in this case, Velvet can manage her eyes to become predatorial. Although, not in this very moment. Velvet's ears perked up. They kinda had to, for Hyoma's voice was low, almost a whisper.

"My hand? Which hand? And whatever for?"

Her confusion was understandable, and it showed on her face. Which hand, indeed? Her demon arm? Was he going to make fun of her? And why the request? It was sudden and incompatible with the atmosphere.

"Your right hand, please..."

Still, he did not look. Again, truly a shame. Velvet would have to work hard to stare directly at his eyes. Her confusion kept increasing in intensity. Why would someone like Hyoma act so...calm around her? Especially after what she did to him. Maybe listening to his request could be the first step to amendment. And so she did. Quite literally, Velvet lent her hand to Hyoma.

Now, for a gesture very rarely executed by Hyoma. Touching the skin of the opposite sex. Which is why he visibly flinches. Even if he voiced his request, he was still surprised Velvet would agree to it. But... Hyoma nods to himself, for he has finished his mental preparations.

His left hand wraps around Velvet's right hand from below. It was a gentle grip. Hyoma was careful not to display any form of male dominance. He thought it was stupid such a thing exists. Besides, his hand was smaller than Velvet's. And for once, Hyoma's eyes would enter Velvet's bubble, her right hand the object of intense focus and interest. Velvet's confusion prompted her to keep switching her line of sight, from Hyoma's eyes, to their entangled hands, and sometimes even to the people around them, hoping they wouldn't get the wrong idea. But she was hardly embarrassed. Hyoma didn't seem like the type for that kind of thing.

"So... What are you doing?"

Velvet locked on to Hyoma's eyes, which were locked on to Velvet's hand.

"I traveled to a place where they do this sort of... fortune telling. They look at the palm of your hand and see what kind of future awaits you."

Things like that exist? Funny... What kind of places has he visited?

"Then what kind of future awaits me?"

Hyoma didn't respond. Or really, he couldn't respond. It looked like he was concentrating, but not on the palm reading. Palm reading does exist, but it wasn't his intentions. In fact, he didn't even know how to do it. Another agenda was on his mind. An agenda more... personal and insignificant compared to predicting the future.

"(Nothing... I can't feel anything from her, either...)" A solemn look descends upon his face. His line of sight remained in its position but his vision is hollow. Nothing existed to him at the moment. "(I'll be gone soon... Can't I just feel even embers...? Why...?! For all of her ferocity, why can't I feel her warmth?!)

Tighter... Tighter... Hyoma's eyes have shut tight. It's rare for him to lose control of his facial expressions. He was going to cry. Tighter still. Ever so tightly...

"Ow!"

Velvet pulled her hand back, likely from pain. But, why in pain?

"Don't crush my hand like that! Pay attention, Hyoma!"

Ah... So that's what it was.

Even for a seasoned demon, it took Velvet a herculean effort to escape Hyoma's grip. His strength was almost unnatural, but Velvet couldn't find it in her to pin that strength down to the mere realm of physicality. It was as if that strength came from something else... She could feel those reasons being emitted from Hyoma's hand. The strongest was **Desperation**... And then, there was Reminiscence... Remi...niscence...

...Remi...niscence...

* * *

 _"_ _We'll lose you if you can't stay with us_ _."_

 _So_ _sung the red robe._

 _But the other red robe stayed put. The sun was shining_ _and they were still alive._

 _"Don't cry. That sun will still be there."_

 _So_ _sung the red robe._

 _So_ _the red robe wrapped one of "its" scarves around the other red robe_ _'s scarves_ _._

 _"This is so we don't get lost. Stay with us."_

* * *

...niscence...

"Velvet?"

Odd... What was I... doing...? What... was that...

"Vel...vet?"

Ah... He's calling me... Hyoma... Hy...o...ma... His face... It showed concern. Genuine. Authentic. Not like the masks from before. Was this his doing? I couldn't think straight. My head... What was I doing again...? Ah... Right. I was... glaring at Hyoma before I glared at my own hand, the only possible suspect behind that strange memory. No... What I should really be focusing on was him. He did this.

"Sorry about that... I don't know what came over me."

A total lie. Yet, if I tell him what had just transpired, he would likely never believe it or perhaps even deny it. I could see it in his face. He was not going to satisfy me with answers. Yes... For this one moment, I can see past that mask...

...as if I knew...

"Don't let that happen again."

A lecture. Oddly befitting of Velvet to give the lecture and oddly befitting of Hyoma to receive the lecture. His gentle, soft nod seals the command. And before long, Velvet was back to cooling herself off with her tea.

"So what did you find out?"

And before long, Hyoma was back to smiling. Velvet's temporary insight saw it. Nothing genuine about, not like his previous, concerned mask. This was a trickster's smile, not unlike Magilou's own smiles. Gods, they were so toxic...

"Usually, you pay for fortune telling. So..."

Hyoma stuck his hand out, expecting payment for his services. For Hyoma, it was another excuse to do "that". Another chance to feel the embers. But... There was no chance in hell Velvet would agree to this. Actually, now that she thinks about, there was another reason Velvet wouldn't agree.

Paying to predict your future? Sounded like a scam. Sure, that was a valid reason, but Velvet had something else in mind. Something more serious, incompatible with the atmosphere they had created. Because if Hyoma was telling the truth with his "palm reading"…

"(...It won't be a good ending for me...)"

...was her reason. It scared her now that Velvet actually looked beyond the situation to see the ending she would create herself. What was it? That old saying? Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. No. She refused for that to be the ending.

"Hm. What about your hand?" In the midst of the internal storm, Velvet tried to focus on something else to preoccupy her mind. Hyoma's outstretched, gloved hand came into view, an easy task no doubt. Red gloves. A gloved hand. "Did you ever do a reading on yourself?"

Oh. Not the reaction he was expecting. In fact, it was the worst possible reaction. He kinda had that coming though. Choosing to wear gloves just as red and conspicuous as his coat and extending his hand out eagerly. Why wouldn't Velvet focus on them? He had to pull his hand back in a hurry, choosing instead to place them on his lap. Out of sight and hopefully out of mind.

Now then... Lie. Lie

"It doesn't work when you do it yourself. You might be biased."

"Ah. That makes sense."

An odd choice of tone. Velvet was soft and quiet. Subconsciously, she tried to match the same sort of serenity Hyoma's voice held. Or better yet. **She was trying to emulate the voice from her past self**. Regardless, it must mean she believed his lie. It was an okay lie. Not going to blame her for falling for it. Now another problem. Hyoma couldn't risk displaying his hands now, not even to go grab the nourishments on the table. And to have that many food and drinks in one table and not have a go at it was strange and was certainly going to attract even more unwanted attention. Maybe Velvet didn't mind it. Maybe she was fine with Hyoma being quiet.

Geez... Forget it...

"You're not going to live long on an empty stomach. Here, eat up."

And that signaled Hyoma to move the food and the plates towards Velvet, the clanking and clinking literal sound indicators of how close they were to each other, dangerously close might I add, close to the edge of the table, and most importantly as per the plan, close to Velvet.

"No, no, it's fine. I can live."

Velvet gently fought back, trying to form a perimeter around her from the plates, but at Hyoma's insistence, the plates weren't stopping. That was far enough, he thought.

"Gah!"

That was the sound of bone cracking. Oh, what's that? You couldn't hear it over Velvet's banshee scream? Well believe me. There was definitely the sound of bone cracking. At that moment, Velvet instinctively raised her leg to reach her injury and in the process, her knee disturbs the table, dropping almost all of the plates. The ear-piercing sounds of shattered dishware were more than enough to attract the attention of the inn's morning people and possibly enough to wake up those still snoozing in their rooms. Hyoma shot up from his seat to check on Velvet.

"Velvet! Are you ok?"

"No, dammit! Why the hell did you kick me!?"

"Here, let me get help."

He says ignoring the question. Contrary to his words, Hyoma made a mad, but awkward looking dash for the exit, looking back on Velvet only when he reached the door.

"That was close. Whoa!" Hyoma didn't get far until he had to stop again, nearly tripping over an unconscious, half-naked body lying face down on the snow. "I forgot about Rokurou. Excuse me." Hyoma sidestepped slowly from the samurai's body, then jogged away, anywhere but the inn was fine, as the mutterings and whispering from the building gradually died out. "Glad that was over with. Now then, on to better things."

* * *

She took it back. Hyoma is a horrible person. She insisted, even if Hyoma was "immortal", that he was a normal person. But what kind of normal person kicks someone in the shin and leave them?

"Grr..."

A low growl from Velvet, still clutching at her shin as she limps away from the inn, no surprise with others staring at her. Seems that even in a mood for jokes, Hyoma still remembered to kick above her boots. Pretty sure no matter how strong a kick is, simply stomping on Velvet's protected feet won't work.

"He doesn't look like a fighter, but he damn well knows how to kick."

A few more rubbings on her injured shin to give some false sense of relief and Velvet is good to limp away without awkwardly holding on to her shin. But like Hyoma, Velvet wouldn't get too far without stopping and gawking at Hellawes' new tourist attraction.

"Rokurou? What are you doing on the snow?" First time didn't get through. So Velvet tries to kick him a tad bit, see if there's any response to be had. "Hey. Are you dead?" Oh what is this? Now you're the one who's words are traited with casual morbidity? Did you pick that up from Hyoma yesterday? "If you don't get up, I'm leaving."

"Uuugh..."

"Oh, you're up."

And up he goes. Slowly but surely, Rokurou will get back up on his feet in a lazy manner. Although his front could use some cleaning. The snow nearly made him half white, half everything else. It takes a ton of effort dusting the snow off of him, especially his face. That part was particularly bad. I'm surprised he didn't suffocate.

"Ugh... What happened?"

He says as he clutches his head likely suffering from a massive headache and possibly from the inevitable sickness. Velvet crossed her arms, deflecting the question back at the fallen samurai.

"That's what I'd like to know. Anyway, we shouldn't stay here. We're already attracting enough attention as it is. Come on, move it."

"But I just woke up."

* * *

Now that he was away from the commotion, Hyoma can finally head to his next destination without worry. His pace was normal, eyes forward, hands in his coat pockets, greeted any exorcists, all in an attempt to look unassuming, to look as if his morning was routine and uneventful. And along the way, he couldn't control what his ears heard.

"...Brrr...! It never got this cold when I was kid. It must be... what was that called again?"

"Global cooling? No it couldn't be. That's just a myth."

"No, that has to be it! Oh, I really hope yesterday's early disappearing sun was just a natural phenomenon."

The conversation between the jacket-wrapped chatty woman and an unconvinced man held only one thing of interest.

"An early disappearing sun... So other people did notice."

Hyoma maintained his pace and his outside appearance while taking a glance at the sun. It was plainly obvious that there was a sun, but Hyoma couldn't help but confirm its existence After all, according to a certain digital goddess, "if you aren't remembered, then you never existed". Ah... very much akin to... the situation Hyoma found himself in... And when Hyoma realized that same parallel, he increased his pace, not unlike those that borrow time to continue existing.

Although... Hyoma constantly challenged that digital goddess' philosophies by using himself as an experiment and so far, existing is pretty easy when you aren't remembered. Nevertheless, there was always more to that goddess' words than what is known outright and Hyoma knew that well. But that's enough for now. Ancient history.

What about Velvet? What was going on with her? Ah yes. Velvet.

Velvet. Velvet. Velvet.

"Geez... I should be more careful... I got carried away with her hand. Hm... But she did have a reaction, though."

The cause of Velvet's reaction - Remnants of an old, obsolete power, long since vanished from his being.

* * *

 _"C.C! There's a bird in my eye_ _!"_

 _That was Hyoma's_ _voice. Heh. Who else could it have been? We were the only ones here in this run_ _down_ _apartment he calls home._

 _"Whatever could you mean, Hyoma_ _?"_

 _I said in the laziest of voices. I_ _remained on the couch. Not the most comfortable of_ _couches, but it's the most comfortable thing here. I couldn_ _'t sleep on the bed. What a greedy boy. I was still absent_ _mindedly watching the news with Cheese-_ _kun_ _safe in my embrace._

 _Footsteps, t_ _hen came Hyoma_ _himself. Hmph_ _. We just woke up, yet he's wearing that. Did he really go to bed wearing that attire? His left eye was closed, and_ _kept doubly closed when his hand covered it up. Was he embarrassed by it?_

 _"C.C... Why did you..."_

 _Such a serious tone. This_ _ **isn't**_ _what I had in mind. But if seriousness is the atmosphere, then I will answer seriously._

 _"You told me your story. You told me about being able to remember pieces of your memories that should only exist millions of years in the past. Thus, y_ _ou told me about suspecting yourself as an immortal."_

 _I_ _t was a serious issue, indeed. An immortal that might have lived for eons and not have the memories for them... There's no way I could let that stand, me being an immortal myself. My eyes have now gravitated towards Hyoma's_ _eyes. I want to let him know that I am serious about this._

 _"_ _Hyoma_ _. For a traveler like you, memories should always be remembered_ _, no matter how sad or happy they are. They make up the you of the present."_

 _"I know that... I didn't know you would care about it."_

 _Boy, the words I have for you right now. But I will refrain from vulgarity._

 _"I am an immortal. I may not have lost my memories, but after hearing your stories, I try to predict what could've happened to me had I lost them. I know for a fact that I have encountered numerous...unfortunate events, but I also know that I would've turned out even worse without them. I can't find it in me to let such a cruel fate visit you without intervention on my end."_

 _He nods gently_ _and his left eye finally opens. The Geass was there. The proof of my..."half" prank. Good. He finally calmed down. His entire being softens up to the point that he was willing to indulge on the pizza on the table. Pizza that I bought by stealing his money. Ah yes, which is why I said_ _"to the point". We did have an argument about it, after all. Good, good. He's okay now._

 _"…"_

 _He has yet to look at me ever since I told him I wanted to help him. Instead, he opts to watch the news. Don't tell me he's shy. Wasn't he going to ask what his Geass_ _does? Hm... Well, his loss. Without me in his view, I could stare at him all day. I could never do this with Lelouch_ _, he who possesses a chaotic aura, of unrest_ _. Hyoma_ _had this... gentle aura and whether he knew it or not, it helped calm down those around him._

 _"Your Geass_ _. It's not really useful_ _outside of helping you recover your memories. All it does is cause pain to let you know when there's a possible déjà vu_ _. Knowing your long history, you might come across many situations that were similar to_ _your past. With the Geass_ _, you no longer need to worry about missing any signs."_

 _"Hm..."_

 _So that's all I get? A lone, quiet sound of confirmation? And after all I've done for you._

 _"That's great and all, but..._ _ **W-**_ _ **When**_ _exactly did you give me this?"_

 _Hahaha! How cute. Hyoma_ _trying to sound intimidating towards a lady? You know Hyoma_ _, that tone of yours would work if it wasn't for your red face and shaky voice. Afraid I might bite? Hmhm_ _, now, time for the teasing._

 _"_ _**When**_ _do you think I did it?"_

 _"It's not okay to sneak up on someone that's sleeping...! It's a crime...!"_

 _"Don't you know? It's not a crime if you're not caught. And as far as I'm concerned, I haven't been caught. You have no proof for your accusations.~_ _"_

 _"C.C!"_

 _Haha_ _...! It's too easy. Normally, such things would never affect Hyoma_ _, but who would have thought his weakness was something as normal as girls?_

 _"Ah, I almost forgot. Regarding the second part of your Geass_ _."_

 _This time, I actually had_ _to change positions, but I would still remain on the couch. Too comfy. I'll sit. "Here." I offered my hand to him. Of course, my other hand was still gripping Cheese-_ _kun_ _. I could never let him go. "Try to hold my hand."_

 _Hm_ _, well, the embarrassment went away and in comes suspicion and disgust._

 _"Why? To wipe your pizza crumbs and grease on me?"_

 _...He caught me? Oh_ _stop it, face of mine. I could hardly contain my smile. It was starting to break free. Sigh... Fine, fine. Here. Watch as I dust my hands off_ _of_ _anything filthy. Is this good enough for you, your shy-ness?_

 _"Happy?"_

 _And so_ _he wrapped his bare hand around mine. Or perhaps "wrap" was exaggerating it. He barely grasped it. A meek and feeble and weak attempt to hold my hand. Perhaps this was overloading his senses. Fine, I'll keep this brief._

 _"Now then. Considering your travels, you've likely met many people. Anyone even remotely involved with you would get a rush of memories that have you in it- Gah...!"_

 _W-What... What's going on...?!_ _No... Of all people, I connected with Hyoma_ _?!_

 _"_ _Guh_ _... AHHHHH! No...! MAKE IT STOP!"_

 _Jeanne d'Arc! A-And Hyoma_ _...! Oh, dearest, young Hyoma_ _...! He was there! He who had plotted the Maid's demise. He... A-Along with... the Witch of Brittania... Myself...! You, Hyoma_ _...?! You were with me?!_

* * *

…

…

 _..._

...Velvet Crowe was no different.

…

…

…

* * *

The witch heard of Hyoma's story. About his travels, his supposed immortality, and an exorbitant amount of memory losses associated with a long life. She wanted to help, she who had also suffered from immortality. If they were to ever meet again, Hyoma would thank her.

* * *

And at last, he made it to the docks. 3 ships continued to remain in their position from yesterday. So the maritime guilds in Hellawes truly were bound in place.

"Velvet did say she would take care of that..."

He says as he recalls yesterday when Velvet was willing to take care of a former guild member, Dyle they said, in exchange for a ship. According to the map, Northgand and Westgand are connected, with Midgand just within arm's reach of Westgand. Hyoma figured if he could travel by foot, he would, especially considering that until just recently, ships were a no-go. But Velvet's convenient timing makes traveling by ship appealing.

Although... Ships weren't the main issue right now. Hyoma's eyes were locked on to the warehouse, the same one that was storing materials for explosives and other miscellaneous goods. Now it was just a matter of listening in on the 2 people, one an exorcist, and the other likely the owner, currently holding a conversation in front of the warehouse. Now the only thing left was to look unassuming, sit down and stare at the sea like normal people. He didn't need eyes for now. It was all ears.

"…I'm telling you sir, someone raided my warehouse! Did you not just take a good a look in here?!"

"...Yes, I did. But the best we can do is monitor this place to prevent further raids."

The exorcist kept his cool, though the mask really helps. The owner was really throttling him. Most likely even before Hyoma listened in. Although, maybe it's because of the mask that it's difficult to tell if the exorcist actually did keep his cool.

"...The best you could do?! That's likely the least you could do! The best you could do is actually catching the thief!"

"...You think I'd still be standing here if that was possible?"

The way the exorcist kept his cool was beginning to look like a poker face. Even in the face of rage, that poker face remained steadfast. So much so that the whole thing was beginning to look comedic, earning a chuckle from Hyoma. Yep, the mask was just for show.

"(He probably deals with that stuff daily. Good on you.)"

"...Lady Teresa won't like the sound of this when word reaches her."

And so the owner surrenders, turns tail, and walks away, likely to tattle tale on Miss Teresa. And like Hyoma predicted, the exorcist seems experienced when it came to stuff like this, his shrug a good indicator of that, but only doing so after the owner wasn't looking.

"...Go ahead and tell her. She lectures us every day anyway. Do you really think it's coincidence that she's assigned to this icy landscape?"

So with his snarky self-conversation out of the way, it was time to make his rounds, his bodily gestures and recent actions all strongly suggesting that these are done preferably without distractions. And that loud sigh just before taking his first step truly proved the point.

Hyoma remained seated at the edge of the docks, his dangling feet close to the water just ready and waiting to swallow him whole, but unless the weather turned sour, that won't come to pass. Hopefully. Maybe.

"The exorcist did say they were going to monitor this place, but with his attitude, it doesn't seem like it'll be implemented right away. Hm... I wonder..."

Hyoma retrieved one of the two maps given to him, the local map of Hellawes, as well as a pencil all from the same pocket in his coat. It's hardly been a full 24 hours but the map is now riddled with notes and markings, most spots marked with a cross. The intensity from Hyoma's red eyes and the fact that the map is marked in such a way that it could be used for war easily spells trouble.

"It looks okay."

He tucked the map in his coat and stood up with a sort of nimble attentiveness all in an effort to avoid the waters. Drowning was a thing of the past, but just the feeling of being surrounded by water was enough to overwhelm Hyoma's sense of "invincibility". Hands and feet were all in perfect synchronization and made every movement count. No doubt he was probably thinking "this is the last time I'm sitting near water". And after checking around to make sure there were no curious cats, it was time to head in the warehouse.

"Whew... Dim."

He surveyed the building and it was still left as is. A total mess. It was left as is probably to preserve evidence of a robbery. He placed his Hellawes local map on top of some "flamestones" and that was that. He paused for a moment, his eyes focused on the map, though his mind was elsewhere, his nod to the map a good sign of that as if he planned on doing something with it, then did one last check at the warehouse.

"What would be the 5th century equivalent of flamestone? Hm..."

The map just needed to be placed somewhere in the building, preferably where it's easy to see when one enters the warehouse from the "secret entrance", but not so visible under a hasty inspection. Teresa is a busy woman, so Hyoma was betting on her negligence and the "plan" would go smoothly. Nothing else needed unnecessary tampering, so Hyoma exits the building and on the way out...

"...Heeeey! Let me gooooo!"

It didn't take much turning of his head to identify the source of that infernal screeching. Magilou. Actually, Hyoma probably didn't need to look at the source at all. Her voice pretty much worked its way into Hyoma's head and became ingrained there. It would take a while to describe why, but for now, let's just say it was unforgettable.

"...I only wanted to take a look at the ship! It was good looking and I couldn't resist!"

Two exorcists were dragging Magilou away by her arms, but she wasn't giving up that easily and her thrashing legs helped to slow the exorcists' progress. Hyoma couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't trying hard enough to escape.

"She is a witch, right? Maybe she's just holding back."

The atmosphere remained as is. Magilou was being dragged away, likely to the leading exorcist of this region, Teresa, and yet Hyoma was perfectly content with being a worthless bystander. There was no sense of urgency or tension in the atmosphere. At least, none that Hyoma can sense.

"One less troublesome character out of the way~."

He says with such a cheery, singsong tone. It was certainly trying to mock the arrested witch, especially when she spotted Hyoma waving to her with that stupid smile on his face amidst her violent thrashing, but all of that would backfire very quickly.

"He's also a conspirator! Him! Hiiiimmm!"

Magilou kept her head pointed at Hyoma, hoping the exorcists would look at her line of sight and unfortunately for Hyoma, they did. And not just them, but also the other exorcists on patrol, and it wouldn't take long before they brandished their weapons like madmen as they ran after Hyoma, an unnecessary action considering he stood perfectly still, likely shocked at what just happened.

"You..."

"Hehe..."

He sent a glare her way, to which Magilou responds with her iconic, fittingly devilish smile. She's had her fun, so there was little need to resist her captors anymore. As for Hyoma, nothing could ruin the day more than to be surrounded by exorcists with their weapons pointed at him.

"Make it easy for us and let's go."

Slowly, his arms half-raised, a calm composure to make the arrest easier on them and hopefully in return, make it easier for him. It's a deal, yes?

"Sigh..."

* * *

So the game was over before it even began. Hyoma Hokulei was captured and the only other competent person, Magilou, shared that same fate. The world was done for. Hm... On second thought, maybe it's the opposite and the world would actually revel in peace?

"I hate you a lot."

Hyoma kept his face straight, quite literally as well, a stark contrast to his words.

"Aww really? But I don't hate you, you know...?~ "

On the other hand was Magilou's bedroom eyes and side smile, looking just over her shoulder to meet Hyoma. Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet, almost reduced to a whisper, but it was compensated with the sultriness that coated it. That kind of gesture, those kinds of tone in the voice... Isn't that the kind where-

...And Hyoma noticed it from his peripheral vision, his head barely turning away, but his eyes clearly trying to avert Magilou's seductive gaze, and still his face remained expressionless. The stakes are higher though. If he shows any kind of expression, Magilou would tease him to no end.

Their hands were secured with rope along the way, although by the looks of the basic knots, it seems these two aren't considered threatening yet. Plus, it seems their calm and conforming attitude helped ease their arrest. Their silence is especially valuable considering they were currently held side by side in a local church behind the pews, with Teresa praying at the altar. So any amount of disturbance and they were going to get an earful, or maybe a "cheekful".

That's why the two opted to whisper instead, even though the recent events made that very hard, what with the false accusations that stirred Hyoma's emotions and Magilou's exaggerated efforts to contain her teasing. But all is quiet and serious when Teresa finally and vocally prayed.

"...O Empyrean Innominat, hear my prayer. Blessings and honor unto thee... This frail flesh a sacrifice to be thy foundation..."

Though audible, it was more of a whisper. A failure of a whisper. Hyoma heard it all.

"(Is that their religion?)"

The exorcist's grip on his rope lessened. He probably got tired of holding it. That or it was a reward for Hyoma being so cooperative during and after his arrest. The ease of some "physical burden" allowed for clearer thinking. Repeating the word "Empyrean" and "Innominat" was bound to produce results or may cough up an irrelevant memory.

"(Inomnom. Nom nom?")

But he wouldn't get far. And it's good that he kept his train of thought short. The giant door behind him opened and in comes a familiar figure. A familiar, high ranking figure considering the exorcists holding up their prisoners had to move aside for him.

"Praetor Oscar."

With bandage dressings.

A nod from the guard on Hyoma's side to confirm Oscar's existence. And Oscar reciprocates with his nod, his gaze, though, remained when he notices the red-eyed man with black bed hair and said man looked slightly downwards to appear submissive and defeated. He didn't want suspicions.

"Hm."

It was all the praetor could say. Nothing in the apprehended rung a bell. Fortunately, he didn't look the other way to see the other apprehended. Lucky you, Magilou. He would've recognized you straight away. And Oscar's head straightened once more and resumed his path to Teresa.

"Sister."

His voice jolts Teresa out of her praying and she was on her feet in a flash, a rare smile on her face no doubt.

"Oscar! What brings— Your face! What happened to you!?"

She was referring to the abundance of bandage dressings wrapped around his head and over his right eye. Now where did he get those injuries, I wonder?

"(The mummy returns!)"

—Magilou.

"(His face always looked like that.)"

—And Hyoma.

The peanut gallery behind the siblings ensue, albeit in total secrecy. It was getting more difficult to contain the laughter again. They were terrible, uninteresting jokes, but anything goes when it's just themselves they're talking to. Their minds were a biased audience who would laugh at anything. They had to keep a straight face. They had to. Especially when they were in Teresa's field of vision.

"There was a demon that bested me in battle. I have no one to blame but myself."

"My poor... poor brother..."

Big sister with both hands was caressing small brother's cheeks ever so gently. He isn't going to break like fragile glass, you know. You can be rougher to prove your disgusting rela—

"There are scars, but there is no more pain. I can still serve the Abbey, but I wanted to stop by here for you."

"The scars... No doubt an underhanded foe caused you suffering."

She continued to caress her brother in an effort to confirm and reconfirm his existence. He was still alive. Thank goodness, she thought.

"(You poor, ugly thing, you...)"

—Hyoma.

"(Smash his face with an iron next, Velvet!)"

—And Magilou. The look of anticipation on her face really wished for the worse for Oscar. The peanut gallery grew more rowdy, unbeknownst to the audience and its performers.

"A demon who saps the strength from her foes and turns it against them. A girl with black hair and yellow eyes full of fire. Take heed, dear sister. She poses a threat even to seasoned praetors like us."

"(Eyes full of fire... Gasp...!)"

It wasn't Teresa who was in control of her memories, otherwise, such minor events wouldn't be in the forefront of her memories. But they were. The forefront of her memories involved Velvet and only Velvet. Nothing else mattered. For that reason, she managed to recall those seemingly trivial memories.

"(Her...!)"

…

"Teresa?"

His voice does wonders to her. It managed to ease the scowl on her face and instantly, she put on her best, big sister-esque mask. Whatever that may be.

"Huh? Oh, yes. I will take caution. And Oscar... Worry yourself not. As long as you're alive, mistakes such as these are minor. You can always correct them later on."

And it was back to the peanut gallery. But their atmosphere seemed more serious. The jokes have vanished and Magilou is the first to speak in her mind with solemnity.

"(As long as you're alive, huh...)"

She could've spoken using any other tone considering they were thoughts nobody could listen in on. But the gravity of her expression, a stern and unsmiling Magilou, suggests there were layers upon layers of meaning behind her words. On the flip side, Hyoma kept his eyes locked on at the siblings, his thoughts void of activity. Teresa's words were already echoed in a similar fashion yesterday by Hyoma to Velvet. The connection was already made and Hyoma need not delve into his mind for this.

"Aha...! It seems I chose the right course of actions. I stopped by here hoping you would cheer me up."

*Tap Tap*

"Oho, you sly devil, you!"

She was getting touchy-feely again, her hands that have just retracted to their regular positions have found their way to Oscar once again, ruffling his hair in what I assume is in a playful manner.

"You haven't the need for manipulation. I will cheer you up any time."

*Tap Tap*

"Hehe. Hmm... Now then, I do believe I recognize those earrings! They do indeed fit you, as I expected."

A slight red on Teresa's cheeks and a light smile on her face. Her delicate fingers caressed the blue earrings with considerable affection, no doubt because they are gifts from her dearest little brother.

"Hmhm...~ I treasure them dearly."

*Tap Tap*

The jokester Magilou stopped telling jokes in her head and actually became engrossed in the siblings' conversation. For the sake of estimates, the conversation has only been going on for a few minutes, but it became stale very quickly. Magilou didn't seem like the type to indulge in stagnant situations. Nothing was changing. She was engrossed in their conversation because she was bored. So bored and so engrossed that she didn't even notice the tapping of Hyoma's shoe. It's been tapping for a while.

"(Hm...?)"

Magilou kept her eyes on Hyoma's tapping left shoe, then to Hyoma's face. In contrast, her head wasn't turned the whole way to meet Hyoma square in the face. In situations like these, the guards might think something was going on between them. A look of confusion, nevertheless. Again, nothing on his face was readable. Until he decided to bow his head.

"(What are you doing...?)"

Magilou was genuinely confused and that didn't happen often. Often, it would be her trying to confuse the hell out of her audience.

*Tap Tap*

*Bows head*

"Would you please keep still?"

Even when Hyoma tried his best to bow his head under the cover of subtlety, it was nearly impossible not to alert the guard behind him. So the guard asked oh-so-kindly to get him to stop yet the use of brute force was still the way to go.

It wasn't a coincidence like she initially believed. She wanted confirmation that Hyoma was trying to tell her something. He tapped his shoe and subsequently bowed his head. He never once looked at Magilou. So Magilou does the only other thing in response.

*Bows head*

She becomes a copycat, and to the floor Magilou's massive hat goes. Her eyes bore holes into her hat. She observed it with that much intensity.

"Pick it up later." Her guard says with a low growl in response to the witch's desire to sweep it off the ground. She took one last look before returning her eyes on Hyoma, who gave off a very subtle nod in return. Magilou had the right idea and just in time too.

"I must take my leave now."

Teresa was still enamored from Oscar's silver tongue that she hadn't the time to form a response to Oscar's formal salute and farewell. He wanted to take his leave quickly and quietly. Through the aisle he goes...

*Cough*

Hyoma looked downward once more, still displaying that same expression of defeat. Oscar couldn't help but look his way one last time, though whether it was because of the intriguing aura that surrounded the man or the trivial cough was up to debate. The answer will have to wait as Oscar finally leaves the church. The main course was gone and all that's left were the desserts that were forced to walk down the aisle and face judgment. And judging by the look on Teresa's new mask, she wasn't fond of desserts.

"Lady Teresa. We've captured a stowaway and a potential accomplice."

"I wasn't stowing away! I merely boarded without permission!"

*PSSHH*

"(Oh god...)"

* * *

 _"..._ _So_ _as we can see, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Potential energy is stored in the muscle as the hand prepares for the wind up, then it's converted into kinetic energy as it swings towards her face. And if we slow it down... F_ _un fact. The face is elastic. So_ _it makes all these crazy movements when it's hit."_

 _..._

 _"Teacher, who is that victim you're slapping in the video?"_

 _"Oh her? Someone I really, really hate._ _Perfect for this example."_

* * *

Oh god is right, Hyoma. That slap sounded like thunder and threw Magilou off-balance, her head and body almost following the trajectory of Teresa's hand and was lucky her captor suddenly became her savior, keeping her upright.

"So you've been collaborating with that demon. Where is she?!"

"Hmph..."

Magilou didn't even readjust her head. She kept her face as is when Teresa slapped her. Maybe she was actually angry. For some reason, an angry Magilou would not end well. Nevertheless, she kept her silence, unwilling to even drop hints or riddles.

"You chose silence, then? To openly defy a praetor exorcist... No, more than that. To aid in their death... You should receive the death penalty over and over again and still, it will lack the same magnitude as your actions."

Teresa neither raised nor lowered her voice. It was perfectly monotone, but monotony certainly helps in foreshadowing worse things to come. What is normally supposed to be angry is not angry and that's hardly a good sign. If used well, juxtaposition can indeed, be a powerful force. The original trio saw it first hand when Hyoma had a smiling aura of light-heartedness under black skies. At that time, the juxtaposition led them to believe Hyoma was the kind of person who would laugh in the middle of a funeral and not care about the somberness of the circumstance.

"Excuse me."

A meek and feeble voice came from the other apprehended. Teresa saw the piercing red eyes, but no more than that as the red-eyed man looked down. Other than the grandiosity that is his clothing, one that would suggest thievery, the overall appearance of the man looked no different than like that of a school teacher being bullied by his students. A seemingly weak young adult. Maybe she can take it easy with this one.

"I don't think she's collaborating with the demon."

"Huh?"

A surprised look on both women's faces. Clearly, one of them wasn't expecting to be saved and the other wasn't expecting this one to fight for the former's innocence.

"Young man, do you have my eyes? Eyes that saw how close this witch and the demon's proximity were? A proximity that can only be found among either friends or accomplices?"

It was only every now and then that Hyoma stole a glance at Teresa, an act of nervousness or at the very least, emulating the act of nervousness. It was like reading the script for a speech rather than facing the audience the entire time.

"No, ma'am. But I think she's no different than you. She was just as fooled by the demon as you were. Maybe she didn't even know about the demon at all."

"What are you getting at?"

It was different now. Hyoma raised his head to meet and perhaps hoping to rival Teresa's icy stare with his warm aura. Though bound at the hands, he regained enough composure to bring back the kind of aura that warrants caution. Although it's still laughable that Hyoma was just a tiny bit shorter than the 168 cm Teresa, one centimeter to be exact. That goes with Velvet too. Hm, maybe that actually helped accentuate the equality.

"From what I can tell, Oscar didn't even recognize her." The innocent, light-hearted smile from before showed up on Hyoma's mask. The smile that wanted to prove that he can do no wrong. "She has quite the unique character. I don't think it would take much effort for her appearance to stick in your head."

"Tch..."

"(Is that an insult or a compliment?)"

Teresa made such an effort to pull her gaze away from Hyoma. She needed a counterargument. Just as quickly, she refocuses on Hyoma with twice the intensity.

"Or maybe Oscar's trauma hindered his ability to recognize her. I could simply summon him back here and have him recall his memories. How about that, hm?"

"Ahaha...!~"

The sudden, somewhat mildly vocal laugh took Teresa off guard. It wasn't the suddenness or the awkward timing of the laughter that took Teresa off guard. There was something else in it. A hint of malice was contained in the laughter and Hyoma's general expression was just plain happy. Mildly happy. And that was creeping her out.

"Your brother would do anything to help you. Then there'll be nothing stopping you two from conspiring against the witch just to save you from humiliation from your false accusations." Oh, if he only had the use of his hands, he'd have a much broader range of body gestures that can serve to emphasize every single sentence he forms. "Is that the justice you hold so dearly?~"

The praetor exorcist balled up her fists. Oh how she wanted to introduce her fists to his face... Justice? Sibling? None of that matters. This was a personal vendetta against one man and one man only. No one else was involved. But to show that personal vendetta fueled with emotion, void of righteous justice and reason in front of her soldiers? Not even Teresa was willing to go that far. She would lose everything, credibility, authority, face and all.

"Put them in the holding cells for 30 days."

"Yes, milady!"

The rumbling thunder that hid beneath her savage yet monotonous tone lost its edge. Teresa didn't even bother to spare a glance at them as she exited the building post-haste. Their salute fell into obscurity. The creed of the Abbey, reason above all else, shattered just as quickly as her pride all thanks to some nobody. Emotion was all that's left to pick up the pieces.

"The justice I hold? Hmph. I saw not even an inkling of justice in your eyes, nay, not even a speck of light in them. Who are you... to judge mine's?"

* * *

 **A/N - Stop by again?**


	8. Fallen Season

**Figahl Icecaps, Northgand**

 **Morning**

 **Blizzard**

"The snow isn't letting up."

"Are you cold?"

More screen time for the eternal duo of Velvet and Rokurou. All things considered, yes, including Rokurou "mysteriously passing out" and Velvet's literal "shin dig" courtesy of a certain mischievous traveler, they seem to be doing well both mind and body. Well, maybe not "mind", considering the skimpily dressed Ms. Demon asked if her partner (meat shield) was cold out here. That's twice the evidence that Velvet was not born in the cold or never saw snow.

"I was OUT cold, but I'm fine with this kind of cold. I am clothed but I can't say the same for you."

Ow... Ouch. That was... Actually, it's hard to tell if that was a low blow. Could be taken as a compliment if he was the flirtatious type. No, no... He'd just be a pervert.

"Doesn't bother me, but what does are your curious eyes. You better watch where they wander."

The last part of the sentence sounded almost like a growl. She hath spoken through clenched teeth. Her canines were looking just as dangerous as her demonic arm right about now. And that tone? That growl? Geez, whatever happened to subtle dominance? Nowadays it's just people flaunting their powers and weapons while the people in the back who knew better just laughed at them. Velvet? Clearly she's done work on the art of subtle dominance.

"Whoa, sorry about that. I meant no offense. Though it seems to me that you still retain feelings such as shame."

"Do you?"

"No, not me. I lost a lot of what made me human. Figured that was obvious and par for the course when it came to transforming into a demon."

"That's...interesting. I didn't know that."

"Nevertheless, I'm probably still the same person inside. I still like weapons, fighting, and a good drink!"

"Huh... That's very "you"."

He's made peace with the fact that he was turning into a demon and along the way, lost most of human emotions. From start to finish, at least from Velvet's side of things, Rokurou always displayed optimism, so it's likely that he's found his silver linings a long time. Good on him. In this age of "reason", there's no better time than now to display that optimism.

And it was back to long walks in the snow, the sounds of crunching with every step, sometimes rhythmically, sometimes chaotically. They were, after all, trying to avoid the patrolling exorcists along their destination to Beardsley, a hamlet near Hellawes. This meant avoiding monsters and fighting as well. Good thing the consequences of demons and exorcists fighting it out in the snow was kicking the white stuff into the air. Like a... mini-whiteout.

All this sneaking around is great and all, but it doesn't hurt to take a moment and inspect some flowers growing amidst these terrible conditions.

"Now that's a tough flower, being able to survive in these cold lands."

"Those would be Princessias..."

"Elegant name for something growing out here. I would expect a flower named like that to grow under sunshine and rainbows."

"My sister loved them..."

Velvet squatted down to better observe the Princessias. Rokurou wasn't able to see her face, but it was there. A mix of sadness and nostalgia and maybe even a bit of contempt. If her sister loved them enough so that Velvet would remember the name of this flower amongst thousands of other flowers would suggest she would be quite fond with them as well. But all she did was look on, not even making an effort to reach out and caress the flowers that are struggling to survive here. Let's try delving into her mind.

* * *

" _Look."_

 _***** of red robes. A quiet one. She of red robes, surprised._

" _Hm? Stay with-_

" _Look."_

 _***** of red robes, that's twice ***** must sing._

" _She knows of a better place. Do you not want to see them?"_

 _Nay. ***** of red robes stays in place. Kneeling on the ground, a wistful look no doubt. No doubt, even if their faces were... largely expressionless._

" _Go on. I want to stay. Everything is beautiful."_

 _Not even an inch of movement. Difficult. What to do, what to do... Ah, maybe if her family, including herself was there to present whatever it was they wanted to present, the effect would be greater. Maybe even enough to overwhelm the consequences of her actions._

 _And so the scarves detach._

* * *

Um... Wrong mind?

No, that was right. This "thing" still works even now?

You mean... What he did at the inn... It actually worked?

You'll see. In three, two, one...

...

 ***Thud***

One down, one to go. Velvet, was that the wrong memory? Was it so peaceful of a memory that her eyes slowly drooped shut? Involuntarily, might we add? Though, that was the least strange part. It was her tears. They burned. Did she even know that? It was cold, yes, so her drifting off to sleep could be understandable, but the tears were a different story. They freely fell across an unchanging face before finally meeting the snow.

"Velvet?! Hang on, we need to get to the place they said we needed to go!"

It took this long for Rokurou to act. I wouldn't fault him. No one would've expected that grass watching would debilitate someone this much to the point of sudden unconsciousness. It takes a special kind of person to watch nature's machinations without becoming bored after all.

And now, Velvet pays the price for Rokurou's brief inaction, her body becoming indistinguishable from other snow-covered objects. She would be dead by now with all that snow on her, Rokurou, if she was a normal person.

Speaking of...

"And where on earth did all this snow come from?! It was manageable seconds ago, but this-?!"

Save your breath. The blizzard's increasing ferocity was enough to drown out all other noises, including his voice. Whatever he was about to say was obviously not important in their eyes. Just get a move on before both of you die off.

* * *

The best they could do to implement forms of imprisonment in such a sleepy and obscure town was to place it under the church. Aside from proper jail cells, everything else was haphazard, which suggests the church's lower areas weren't originally meant to hold prisoners. Maybe it was once a storage? At best, there were about 10 cells, the Abbey not expecting a town like Hellawes to get too rowdy with criminals. And surprisingly, despite the strict nature of Teresa, not a soul visited the "holding cells" in quite a while. Now that's change with its most recent visitors Hyoma and Magilou, placed opposite of each other and giving them a clear picture of the other's condition.

"Hey."

The voice was Magilou's. It was a voice cleared of all add-ons. None of her quirks were in it. Her back was laid flat on the bed, arms resting on her belly, hat by her side.

No response. All right... Let's try this again, Magilou...

"Hey..."

…

Nothing. All right... Let's actually try looking at him, Magilou...

And there he was, sitting on his bed and reading his journal. Hyoma would be no different anywhere else. Given the free time, he'd likely just read his journal. Like Magilou, not an ounce of concern was on his face. It was like jail time for these two was routine.

Let's try something else.

"We'll be stuck here for 30 days you know? And I'll be your cell buddy the whole time!~ So you might as well talk and keep me busy."

…

…

...

Could it be...? My voice is no longer unique enough to be given all the attention it demands?! No, no, that's blasphemy! A crime equal to treason in weight! Calm down... Why is he so quiet all of a sudden...? Let me see, let me see...

Ahhh...

Right there. Buried beneath his hair are his ears. And buried into the ears, are earplugs. Black in color, are you serious?! How was I supposed to see those?! Wait, wait, wait... Is that a smile on his face? It wasn't there a few seconds earlier. No way... Is he... Is he laughing at me?!

"Did you need something?"

He' not even looking at me! And his smile was still there! At least be subtle when you're trying to mock someone! Did you set those earplugs up knowing I'd be a chatter box?! Geez, geez...!

"I don't know. Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

And so I crossed my arms and turned my head to the side. I didn't want to see him! How's this for "subtlety"!? See, see?! See how much I hate you right now?!

"Hmph!"

"Oookaay...~ I'll be going back to my own world now."

That wasn't the response I was expecting! Now he's contesting my subtlety with his subtlety! I had to open my eyes and turn to face him to see his next course of actions and sure enough, he was getting ready to put on those treacherous earplugs! Earplugs should be banned if I'm around! That's it, I'll be passing that law once I become empress of this uncultured wasteland!

"No wait! Come oooon... Small talk, Hyoma. Small talk! I'll die of boredom if you keep this up. Do you want that? Do you want me to die and leave a rotting corpse behind? Then you'd still be stuck here, forced to smell the stench of death. Do. You. Want. That?

"…"

Did I convince him?

"I just remembered something."

Hyoma was digging through all of his pockets. If he was doing that much digging, there was probably tons of stuff hidden in them. Buuuut... What was he looking for, exactly? Well I got my answer in a few seconds time.

"I never thought this would be put to use.~"

It was a clothespin. A clothespin! Why did he even have that?! How many things does he have in him that fit every situation?! A clothespin of all things!

"It can hang clothes, it can substitute paperclips, and it can even be used to cover your nose. Do you realize it now? How worthless you are compared to a clothespin?~"

Defeated... That word fits so perfectly for me at this very moment... I could quite literally feel the word "defeated" all over my body. Scary, though...! His voice...! It went from teasing to arrogance so fast! Did HE even notice it? The fact that his sadistic tendendcies are spilling?!

My back landed on the bed, my limbs splayed out as if I was soaking in the sun, if I was actually outside anyway... Is this how people feel when they talk to me? No, it's different. It has to be. I'm not moving from this position! It's too comfy! So I'll cut straight to the point!

"You. Got. Lucky."

"Hm?"

"Not only did Oscar turned to your side and faced only your side upon entering the church, he didn't recognize me at all. Granted, I had my hat off."

"Ok?"

Magilou's voice remained consistent, yet again without her unique quirks inserted in them. Hyoma kept his eyes on his journal. It would take little effort to put Magilou directly in his sights with just a small adjustment looking up, and considering the conversation she started, why didn't he look at her? Maybe it was the poor lighting. The torches were the only sources of light and they were few in number. It wasn't exactly a good place to do some reading but if one insists, they need merely focus hard enough so they don't lose sight of where they were at.

"Then that cough? To get his attention even for just a few moments? All so he would proceed once more with nary a gaze on my side?"

"…"

"You got me to drop my hat, worked your subtleties, all to keep my fate from intertwining with Oscar's. And thus, your success meant a lighter sentence."

"Sounds to me like you got lucky, not me."

"Hehe... No, it was you who got lucky. Luck was with you the whole time and because of luck, Oscar looked your way, I managed to pick up your cues so I could drop my hat, and an insignificant cough that miraculously caught Oscar's attention."

"Hm..."

"For me, there was no contact with luck. Whether I was fated to lose my head or receive a slap on the wrist mattered not to me."

"Oh."

"Nevertheless, you still saved me."

For just a second, Magilou averted her eyes from the ceiling to steal a glance from Hyoma. He has yet to remove his own eyes from the journal. It would take more than an analytical deconstruction of Hyoma's recent actions to spark some life in him. Or so one would believe until Hyoma's own eyes shifted to meet Magilou's just before she retreated to her ceiling stare. What would normally be a big smile on his face turned out to be small.

"Yes, I did save you, but that wasn't all. I wanted to see how forgettable you are in the eyes of others and it looks like you're pretty forgettable without your bizarre hat.~"

"Hey!"

"Ahaha~ Kidding, of course. It was just Oscar's trauma that helped forget the important details. Don't worry. I don't think anyone would forget what you are."

"Ha ha, good one."

A dry, sarcastic, unamused tone on her voice.

"If you must know... Hmm... I guess I just wanted to see Teresa's reaction. All this talk about reason above emotion and all else... I wanted to see if the ones advocating that belief actually follow them."

"Didn't seem like it, is your answer?"

"Nope. For an ice-themed lady, she was boiling inside.~ Buuuut... She was forced to put on a mask in front of fellow Abbey members and never gave in to emotion. And if she lost her mask and gave me a heavier sentence, it would suggest personal vendetta and such things are often fueled by emotion."

"Like Velvet, right?"

"Like Velvet. Though if she did give in to emotion, even better for me!~ I get to watch her demotion.~ I wouldn't give up the chance to watch that happening, even if it meant I'd be running around headless the next day.~

Hyoma said all of that with a smile. What was once a small, tired smile, grew increasingly larger as he spoke, clearly enjoying the conversation. His journal had been closed since the start of the meat of the conversation, spinning between his hands.

"Hahaha...!~ You really are something else. You did all of that not to save our hides, but to watch someone else skewer their own hides."

"Right."

"But what would you have done had Oscar recognize me? It would've jeopardized both of us."

"Hm..." Hyoma rubbed his chin with his index finger, looking up at the ceiling for an answer that was already there, then continued to spin his journal. "I guess that's that then?"

"Huh?!" So surprised was she that she went to sit up and face Hyoma clearly for once. "Have you no faith in yourself?"

" **Faith? Why would I need faith?** " Hyoma's head tilted in a questioning manner. Though it wasn't the most dramatic nor dynamic of head tilts, his head moved slow enough that it almost felt creepy. "If I had faith, it meant I would favor one conclusion over the other. That simply wasn't true, at least this time around. I didn't care if Oscar recognized us nor do I care if we were publicly executed. Whatever conclusion we arrived at, I'd be smiling all the way.~"

"The same smile you're wearing right now?"

"Yep!~"

* * *

" _See? Isn't it beautiful?"_

 _So the red robe says. It was pretty, but ***** wasn't looking. She should've known this. A pointless endeavor, really, trying to showcase beauty to someone who isn't looking._

" _I wanted to stay longer. I wish you could understand."_

 _***** of red. Are you, perhaps, angry?_

" _You can always turn back."_

…

" _Somehow... Your name..._ _ **isn't so beautiful anymore.**_ _"_

" _...!?"_

* * *

" _ **I didn't...**_

"...so with your tail between your legs, you came back here..."

"...That cave will turn anyone into cowards. I'm not the only one..."

"...Hadlow Hollows, was it..."

" _ **...mean to..."**_

"...Well that was our original destination. Until you came along..."

" _ **...Come back... *****…**_

"By the way, your friend is crying."

"Ngh..."

"Velvet!"

Whisked away from the nightmarish white and into the comforts of orange. There was no better time than now for that gentle flame. Situated around that fire was Rokurou, a lying Velvet, and a lizard. Gone were the snow shrouding Velvet in innocent white colors. Had she stayed that way though, it might have made her look less like a demon and more like a bride. Was that really such a bad thing?

Slowly, she got up. She was a demon immune to the cold, but not the effects. Before she even had a grasp of the grand scope of her revenge, she had almost died back there. Rokurou needn't say a word. Just from her extremely sluggish movements alone, Velvet knew she had almost bit the dust.

"I'm alright." So she says while clutching her head with enough strength to crush skull. "Just... not so loud..."

"Sorry. But you really had me worried back there." Worried to the point of inaction. Had he been minutes late, well... Let's not go there. Not yet, anyway. "I never thought you would just... pass out like that."

Her fingers were white. A clear sign of frostbite. More evidence of her near-death experience. It's a fact that Velvet never experienced cold weather, but she knew that fingers turning a ghostly white wasn't healthy, and if it was caused by the cold, then it should make sense to douse her hands in the fire.

"I didn't know what came over me, either. Now I know it's possible to hate those flowers even more than I do now."

Still, she was capable of indignation, her eyes narrowing, the fire in front of her, the unfortunate victim of her glare. Luckily, it wasn't the subject of her contempt for she stared right through it.

"I won't ask you to reveal yourself to me, but next time, try to tell me what causes you enough damage that you'd just fall flat on your face."

"Not a chance."

…

"Your loss."

Velvet didn't move an inch. She kept her gaze firm on the fire. If she wasn't careful, her eyes would go obsolete too. But regardless, she knew of another presence. She didn't need eyes or ears for this. Even in her sleep, she could detect demons. Really, of any presence. That's what years of being in the worst prison of all, treated as the worst prisoner of all, will do to you.

"So, what's he doing here?"

Of course, the previous facts just stated wasn't known to Rokurou. To him, she was just another ordinary prisoner treated like all the others. But Velvet's perception, even with her sudden exhaustion, could change his view of her.

"About time you noticed me." A gruff voice out of a green lizard. I was expecting more of a... hiss or... Hm... Never mind. He is wearing clothes after all. "I was going to scare you, but-"

"If you did, your tail would be gone."

"Y-Yea. That. I heard enough from your friend, if a femme fatale like yourself can even call him that."

Sigh... Close, so very close. A little more and Velvet would have enough to justify spitroasting Rokurou. A small fire would work. Like the one they were all huddled around. Yes, a small fire. Not enough to kill him quickly. She'd make sure endless pain would come before the end.

"I hope you know, Rokurou, that divulging information about your allies, no matter who they are, is a serious offense."

It's a surprise she wasn't saying all of this with her hands around his neck. No one would blame her. So instead, she opt to keep her body completely still. A scary thing, indeed. There was a ferocious undertone, but no sign that she would physically lash out. When would it happen? Such a thought was enough to keep Rokurou on his toes, even if they were "allies".

" **Understand?"**

"Y-Yes ma'am."

"So then, the situation?"

"R-Right."

 **Beardsley, Northgand**

 **Afternoon**

 **Cloudy**

As it turns out, this tiny hamlet, Beardsley they called it, is a good place to dump exiles. And with the Abbey so intent on order to the point of strangulation, the only obvious outcome was a town steadily increasing in number. But given the circumstances, with the weather and all, they're doing pretty good for themselves. They have livestock, a bit of farming here and there, existent markets, giant gates, and an ideal location for defense. Demons hardly invade the place. Unless they were the flying type.

The Abbey don't seem too interested in invading either. At least, not to the extent of brutality. There was no need to overextend their manpower to places where resistance is nonexistent. Their mere presence was enough to keep the place in line, or so they believe. Not that there was a reason to believe otherwise. They were THAT mighty.

For a town of banished criminals, it wasn't SO bad.

Then came Dyle. The wanted lizard demon Velvet and Rokurou were after. Originally, he was hiding out in a cave they call Hadlow Hollows before scurrying home. If it wasn't for the fact that he was a demon, he'd probably be welcomed. This was his place after all. His family was still here. But he was a demon. And he wasn't welcomed. But he wasn't shunned out completely, else he wouldn't be here, sitting near a gentle flame without an ounce of anxiety. It helped that Beardsley was already a town of outcasts, so what's the harm in housing one more oddball?

Now for the million-dollar question.

"So... Why'd you come back here?"

"Hm..."

Humans are an easy read. Body gestures, facial expressions. These are good indicators of a person's mood. But you can't exactly transfer that knowledge towards reading animal expressions. If the lizard was showing fear, he wasn't showing it well. The teeth are making it hard for that. But his previous actions, to run from a safe isolation and into a human village, are no doubt influenced by fear.

"Rokurou did say you were both in prison. Unusual occurrences might not have reached your ears yet."

"Just spit it out."

Such impatience...

"I was staying in that cave a few days ago until something strange happened."

And there it was. That shaking.

"A horde of demons surrounded by a ghastly mist traversed the cave. I say "demons" with reluctance because I didn't feel like I belonged there."

"If they're not demons, then what were they?"

A lengthy pause. Had it been so traumatic that he could barely recall correctly?

"Let's just say that they weren't acting like demons. Now, I know not all demons are a rowdy bunch. I can tell you two are demons, but hardly look the part. But there must've been hundreds of them. And a group of demons don't exactly stay civil for long, especially not when a human town like Hellawes was nearby.

"A cult, maybe?"

"Similar enough. They were in line, all seemingly in a trance, like they were doing a ritual. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have noticed me even if I made myself seen. But I still wouldn't take that chance of being discovered."

"Hm..." Velvet's hands have long since recovered their color and found their way to her chin in mock thinking. "If this was a few days ago and if it was a ritual, it's probably over by now."

"Still, it couldn't hurt to look. They might have left something."

You sure this isn't an excuse to cut up more stuff, Samurai?

"Haven't you forgotten already? We came here to solve our ship problem, not go on a field trip."

"Yea, but Dyle is here now. Are you going to kill him now right after all this?"

"Whoa, whoa. That's why you came here?!"

There it is. That very human-like expression of withdrawal and pacifism. Sort of. Those suspended arms connected to open hands. Spread out like two, shameless white flags. But a heartless, single-minded and stubborn demon wasn't going to be stopped by pacifistic gestures. She stood up slowly, unsheathed her blade, and her eyes latched on to the lizard. There was no need for ferocity. Dyle would go down without a fight. She was sure of it.

"Killing a man in his own home? Never thought you'd go that far, Velvet."

"Huh?"

Well that stopped her quick. What happened to "heartless"?

"He didn't patch you up, not with those "hands" of his, but he did provide everything else."

Rokurou had laid his hand on her shoulder. No blood would be shed today. Not amongst demons.

"And why would YOU do that?"

Her attention, once again on Dyle, though with confusion, not with contempt. A life would be spared today. But her blade has yet to be withdrawn, so perhaps that could change and with Velvet's volatile nature, that change could be instant.

 **~ Persona 5 - Disquiet~**

"Because you two are the perfect allies for raiding Hellawes."

…

…

"And why, exactly, do you think we'll help? You think we're running a charity here?"

"Of course not. Which is why I said you two are perfect allies. Our goals align."

Now that got her interested. What could possibly benefit her from raiding a town full of exorcists and led by a praetor?

"It's not so complex. We raid Hellawes as per my revenge and during the chaos, we steal a ship."

"Revenge...?"

Rokurou, you want to chime in on this? Her attention is on you now, after all. Makes sense considering you are the least surprised by this turn of events.

"It's not a long story. Dyle here was framed for the shipping guild's smuggling crimes."

"Not only do I get a chance to kill them, but I can also steal their ship as a final humiliation."

This was a good opportunity. At the very least, it got Velvet thinking towards the possibility. The reward... the reward... Then there was the risk.

"And how exactly do you intend to do this?"

* * *

"Hey."

"Hm?"

After their last conversation, things returned to their previous state. Things that were obscure amidst their voices reintroduced themselves, from the drops of water to the muffled footsteps outside in the snow, be it animal or human. Hyoma, too, returned to nostalgia via journal.

"When we were greeted with the tragedy at sea, you stayed on the ship. You called that thing an "Epitaph". Familiar with it?"

"An Epitaph? I thought it was a whale."

"Oh come on." She said with an air of obvious disbelief, emphasizing the letter "C" to provide sharpness. "Only a day has passed and we already know each other's masks."

"Really? That's news to me."

"You know I put on this fake trickster mask and I know you hide things with your smile. That's why I'm not talking like I normally would with others. There's no point with you."

"But I genuinely like smiling."

It was too comical at this point. Hyoma spoke 3 lines, each clearly not making an effort to lie effectively and worse, they were monotonous in tone.

"Why do I get this feeling of being replaced...? Normally it's my job as the trickster to instill confusion and yet confusion has found its way within me."

You already know it's true, Hyoma... You know already... The voice you're so familiar with... You can see past that. I don't have to put in so much energy maintaining my masks. Knowing that... It's addicting... But... by the gods... I can't even break out of it. The masks... They're embedded in me.

...

Hyoma closed his journal and lied on his bed in the same position Magilou was in. It was his turn to enjoy the comforts the laziest form of gesture offers. Plus... It's been a long day, even if it has only been for a few hours, likely still morning. Hyoma couldn't tell if it was. No windows.

"I'm going to sleep."

"Hey!"

"I'm kidding. But I'm just as lost as you are. Really, the best I can tell you is that they aren't demons."

Hyoma kept his eyes shut. When it came to a barrage of questions, closing his eyes often helped find the answers in the black void, free of distraction and outside influence. And it's not like there was anything of interest in the church's dark side. It was just your typical makeshift dungeon.

"Really? The best you can tell me?"

"Well... You seem to know a lot more than you're letting on, so the fact that even you question those... things... means this world hasn't been touched by them."

"Whoa! Slow down there, kiddo." That's the second time Magilou was given enough shock to sit up on her bed again. "Is this where you give a massive exposition dump? Because you basically revealed that neither you nor those things are of this world."

"No thanks. You don't seem as shocked as I thought you would, but yes, I came here from another "place". But trying to explain that would take... a lot of time. And... this place really isn't the place to tell long stories."

Magilou began to sit on the edge of her bed now, feet finally making contact with the ground. She leaned forward, her entwined hands serving as chin rest. Her gaze focused solely on Hyoma, whose face is partially obscured due to his tailcoat's collars

"Granted there are stranger things and it's not like the existence of other worlds and universes is a new concept, but still... I'd disagree with you. Once all of this comes to pass, the shock would register and I'd be asking you questions at a hundred words per second."

"I think you already are..."

"Well, what else do you expect?! We're trapped here for 30 days with nothing to do! So I gambled on your willingness to satisfy my boredom!"

"You won the bet then."

Now it was Hyoma who sat up from his resting position, his arms wrapped around his bent knee, upon which laid his chin. He was trying to think of some more information he could pass on without giving away too much. Well, not that that was necessary, considering he really didn't know any more about those "Epitaphs" than Magilou.

"Fine... I'll see what I can talk about."

An unmotivated Hyoma says, all the while ruffling his already-chaotic hair.

* * *

 **Hellawes** **, Northgand**

 **Evening**

 **Clear Skies**

 **~FFVIII - Intruders ~**

It was no small feat, but Velvet had actually managed to scale a cathedral. She was the one most suited for this role in the operation after all. She had a big claw, and what better way to test out its gripping power than to climb a building that basically served as the skyscraper of Hellawes? Its height was extremely useful, for now, serving as the "crow's roost". Behind her were the docks. In front of her, the entire town. What a useful place indeed. From this high, and under the cover of darkness, it was nearly impossible to spot Velvet.

Her job wasn't all that difficult. She was merely a spotter. Locate the patrols and alert her allies in case they're near. And what exactly were her allies up to?

…

" _Our plan involves just this."_

" _The flamestones... You're actually planning to blow up the city?"_

 _Was the idea too visceral for Velvet? She's already wanted for death, no thanks to her scratching a certain praetor's brother's face, what's one more misdeed going to do to her reputation?_

" _We could always resort to our other plan."_

" _Hell no! I know my tail can grow back, but that doesn't mean I want to experience the pain that comes before."_

 _That was their other plan?_

" _It's already too late for that anyway. Word of Titania probably reached here already, and I'm not going to risk walking here in broad daylight."_

" _In other words, the window of opportunity is already gone. There's no way we can resolve this peacefully anymore."_

 _So Rokurou says with a smile on his face. Good to know he wears his heart on his sleeves. Meanwhile, Dyle was analyzing the flamestones, and a certain little thing stood out amongst the rest._

" _Guys, take a look."_

 _He motioned the others to him and in his hands, a map of Hellawes. Drawn with details useless in daily life. Except for an attack..._

" _That's a hell of a map. Had someone been planning to invade the city?"_

 _Then, a spark of realization came to Velvet._

" _Was that why... this place was so messy?"_

 _Her voice had been registered as a whisper, a necessary thing now that the stakes have just increased. Rokurou had to survey the place one more time to confirm her thoughts._

" _That map is using flamestone as the method of attack. And some flamestones appear to be stolen. It's not a coincidence."_

 _Not only did it have the method of attack, it also had other details as well. There were 7 flamestones, each in different places, two of which were above the church, one was above the arch near the inn, one was placed on the main entrance, two on the ships which left one as the escapee's ship, and one more on the gate to the docks. It even included the optimal routes for avoiding prying eyes, and the time to initiate the attack._

" _Midnight..."_

…

And it was in the midst of her recollections that Velvet noticed another thing.

"That map wasn't there when we first got here, but the flamestones appear to have already been rummaged through..."

She had stopped paying attention to Rokurou and Dyle and drowned herself in her own cautious thoughts. Besides, the routes the map chose were indeed optimal. There was little fear in raising suspicion. Above the rooftops, huh...

If someone was planning the attack, at midnight of all times, her own group could stumble upon them. Whether than turns out to be good or bad, nobody knows, but Velvet wasn't going to add unnecessary risk. In addition to the exorcists, she must also watch out for the ones that actually planned this whole thing. So far, not a sign of them. It felt dirty stealing someone's work like this. The plan was basically given to them and the one job left was to light the fuses.

But now comes the (un)fortunate side effects of vantage points. The ability to see a place in its entirety. She hadn't stayed here for long, but that doesn't mean it won't leave a foul taste on her once this place goes up in flames. And if that wasn't enough, her wandering eyes landed on the inn.

" _Let's hope he's ok then. It doesn't feel right that we dragged an innocent, human or demon or not, into our problem group and potentially killed him off indirectly."_

Rokurou's words kept echoing in her head.

"Hyoma..."

So that's it, hm? She was worried the chaos that would soon erupt would take the life of the innocent boy? Oh, let him have it. He dug his foot into your shin. The bruise is likely still there. He's no longer innocent.

 _"You're right. There are worse things out there... I'm just being a coward..."_

 **What was his story?**

"I wonder if he's still sleeping in that inn?"

 **What was his story?**

"He won't feel a thing when this is all over."

Is that the thought you comfort yourself in?

* * *

It had been a long day for Teresa. All because of one incident. She sought comfort in the blue earring given to her by her dear brother (who is currently "defaced" by the way). The lone lamp seated on her desk amidst a mess of papers was the only source of light in the dead of night. Ever since that argument, (which was one-sided by the way), Teresa quickly made it a habit to pinch the bridge of her nose. She was unsightly then, and she is unsightly now.

" _Is that the justice you hold so dearly? ~"_

He had no right to speak of justice. Teresa had commented about it earlier. For someone with no light in their eyes to speak of justice... It was...

"Disgusting."

But to whom did that word refer to? Him? Or herself?

She had tried to take naps, but his face was burned into her, even beneath her eyelids. That crazed smile and those hollow eyes. Had she been hallucinating, though? The boy was unremarkable but looked sane enough. There's no way such a person switched personalities and expressions so fast.

"Maybe I was hallucinating... The stress of the current situation might even be distorting my memories. Oscar's injuries, the Titania prison break, the escaped criminal..."

She decides that Hyoma's "strange" face was due to her own distortions. Perhaps she could finally go to sleep...

*Knock knock*

Or not...

"Who is it?"

"M'lady, it's Eleanor Hume."

"Praetor Eleanor? Yes, you may come in."

She really was dead tired... She had forgotten another matter. She didn't deserve that sleep.

"Lady Teresa. It's about Beardsley."

"Did you find Dyle there?"

Uh oh...

"Yes I did. It was only for a moment, but the descriptions were on point. A lizard demon."

"Sigh..." Keep sighing like that and all your happiness will leave your body. "Is there a reason you didn't pursue?"

Tired she may be, but her tone was firm. Her voice was pretty iconic amongst the top exorcists. At the very least, it was enough to straighten the back of one Miss Eleanor. Weren't they of the same rank?

"M-Ma'am...! I wasn't feeling confident I could take him on with civilians around...! He could easily take any of them as hostage!"

Same rank, not-so-same demeanor. At least you were honest. Perhaps your punishment would be lighter now...

…

30 days in the holding-!

"Very well."

Eh...?

"Lady... Teresa?"

"You analyzed the situation and came up with a reasonable conclusion."

Maybe she was tired. The edge on her tone softened. Or... no. It didn't. But she had little energy to throw her mood into chaos. She just wanted to sleep.

"And if there's no update from Beardsley, then we can assume Dyle has yet to act."

The temptation of sleep drew closer, but with her last words hanging in the air, sleep will remain an elusive thing. And it showed on her face. Or, her lack thereof. Eleanor couldn't even see Teresa anymore, what with her hair disheveled and shrouding her beauty

"Then perhaps I could lead a group there. At this time, we should be able to surprise him."

Nice comeback. No holding cell for you after all. And yet, Teresa still refuses to make eye contact, her hands remaining on the sides of her nodding head. It seems she, too, thought of this. But at least it wasn't her acting upon it. Good on Eleanor.

"I will take my leave then. Rest well, M'lady".

And with that, the door had shut, and Teresa had been left alone again. The throbbing in her head wasn't going away. It's during these times that she wished she wasn't a workaholic. Or at the very least, wished she made an attempt to clean her office. Because, otherwise, she'd be tempted to look at every single paper and address them. Like, this here...

"Night Parade of One Hundred Demons..."

…

"Still no update on it... It's nearing the third of October. Have they been... spirited away?"

No. There's a time and place for everything. And right now, she needed sleep.

* * *

"How about... _quid pro quo_?"

"Nope."

"How do you not know what that means but know about _"Innominat"?_ They're both Latin."

"And just like French, I presume this "Latin" is another language outside of ours as well?"

"Yes, and _quid pro quo_ means "this for that". I tell you things, you tell me things. Now that I gave some of myself to you, are you willing to do the same for me?"

From the moment Hyoma first smiled, Magilou saw the plethora of masks he wore and she is left to wonder which one was the truth and which one hid it? However, accepting that chaos exists within him was not the same as being prepared for what may come from it. Case in point, the recent events showcased a talkative and very eloquent Hyoma, quite different from the shy boy Magilou knew about back in the ship and yesterday's little group chat with coffee. Perhaps Magilou really did speak the truth about having her job as a trickster taken by him, she who would dominate conversations, initiating and striking where one least suspects it.

"Hmhmhm...~ I think I gave some of myself to you already, courtesy of that overly analytical head of yours.~" She may have been on the receiving end of confusion, but the least she can do is stop the flow of satisfaction to Hyoma. "Like I said, we know each other's excessive falsehoods. Back in the ship and our group conversation? Don't think I haven't noticed your analytical eye. You must've made a number of developments. I think you know about me more than I am willing to reveal. So as for _quid pro quo,_ I think I'm safe for now.

"Oh really? Same goes for you, you know? You weren't exactly subtle either in your "people watching". Who knows how many and what kinds of conclusions you've reached about me? So it looks like neither of us are willing to show more."

"Hm."

"Hm."

…

 **""Ahahahaha!""**

...

Er... I think prison life has rotted their brains. With seemingly no reason at all, both of them burst into simultaneous laughter, bringing new life in these stagnant cells. Goodness, if anyone was in the church and heard the muffled laughter, I won't blame them for thinking the building was haunted.

"It looks like we're not willing to show all of our cards just yet."

Hyoma leaned his side against the steel bars, his face, though directed at the stairs that led to the world above, was actually staring in space. And poor Magilou couldn't find any more enjoyment on the bed, so she decided to huddle in the corner against the steel bars. She was also facing the stairs with just as much emptiness as Hyoma's gaze.

…

…

...

Throughout their conversations and even if she was the one doing the most listening, Magilou had not lied yet and she wasn't planning to, unless asked to reveal her most private pieces of information, then she would just remain quiet. Trickster was her voice from the past, now barebones was her voice, not an ounce of venom nor veil coated it. It was that voice, the voice of transparency, for which she would dispense truth.

And on the other end of the spectrum was Hyoma. Yes, throughout much of their conversations, Hyoma told the truth. But in contrast to Magilou, whose voice shifted from lie to truth, Hyoma's voice shifted from truth to lie. His voice, though transparent, held nothing natural from him. There exist neither confidence, nor arrogance, nor sophistication. And Magilou was no fool. She heard all of these traits in Hyoma's voice during his verbal confrontation with Teresa. These oppressive walls heard none of those. Magilou's voice of transparency was firm, serious, and intimate. Hyoma's? It was nothing but tired transparency. A tired voice.

He was a liar who would usually tell the truth...

"...Have you been telling the truth?"

...While she was a truth teller who would usually tell lies...

"...Yes. As much truth as I am willing to share."

"Then let's stop for today..."

...And for Magilou, it was painful knowing that and cuts the conversation...

"Hm."

Her silence was enough to entice Hyoma's eyes to look her way. Magilou had not been sharing the same scenery. After his little claim, Magilou kept her eyes down, no doubt in the middle of intense thinking. Within these empty, stagnant walls, Hyoma had all the time in the world to find out what she was thinking, but even within his own mind, Hyoma opted to let her keep her privacy.

Plus, there was another matter at hand...

…

"Don't die now, Magilou."

"Huh?"

*Booosh...!*

Those sounds... Those are explosions... Even inside this shelter, the sounds are unmistakably from explosions... Accompanied by shaking...

*KRSHHH*

"Holy...!"

Magilou heard them. 6 explosions in all and the most recent explosion was placed on the church and they served their purpose well, considering the church was unable to support itself and much of it came crashing down and even piercing the lower floors. Hell, it was so bad that the sky can finally be seen again from their perspectives. That glorious moonlight finally illuminating the darkness below.

"Hey! Hyoma! We're a little trapped here!"

The panic in her voice was evident. So she wasn't ready to die today. That's good... Good enough for Hyoma anyway.

"No you're not. Your cell's open. Try it."

"Eh?"

Why would that be the case was the one thing running through her mind, but it didn't stop her from trying. And what do you know?

"It's opened?! How lousy can they get?!"

Now happiness mixed in with her panic, but the scenery of their once peaceful, oppressive darkness go up in literal flames and smoke lent a bit of sadness in it.

But none of that was present in Hyoma. He simply returned to his bed and tries to sleep on his side facing away from Magilou, alerting the urgency within her.

"Hyoma! How are YOU getting out of here?!"

Even with their little heart-to-heart conversations, Magilou wasn't changed as much to the point of voluntarily helping without a modicum of selfishness. She was getting ready to sprint out of that burning building, her feet jogging in place a clear indicator of that.

"I'll leave when I can."

And still, Hyoma refuses to budge. Even when the world crumbled around them without warnings, Hyoma was content on staying put and with every second he stays put, Magilou becomes increasingly desperate. But desperate why? Desperate to leave by herself? Or desperate to help Hyoma? At times like these, it was impossible to tell which one was the right answer. Magilou was secretly thankful of the crisis, else she'd be forced to face to the question, no doubt, a question that would put her current self in jeopardy.

"Hrgh..."

"Wish Velvet a safe journey to Loegres, will you?"

"Gah! Now you're spouting a lot more things that you shouldn't know now that we're separating. You still need to find a way out!"

...A pause...

 **~NieR Automata — Peaceful Sleep (Music Box)~**

"...Hahaha... I'll be fine. I always turn out ok in the end..."

...And under his breath...ever so softly...

"...(For whatever that's worth...)"

...Sigh... That soft, quiet laugh of his. It was so soothing. So peaceful that, to Magilou's perception, seemed to have drowned out the chaos above and the crackling flames around them even for just a flash of a moment...

"...(Could that be...because of the song...? Is that... a music box...?)"

...The song... It started just as Hyoma took upon his mask of serenity. Magilou heard the song... And it was indeed...drowning out the sounds of hell. This wasn't her unique perception though. I'd wager all of Hellawes can hear the song. Or perhaps it's better to say... the song only blanketed the chaos for Magilou and Hyoma. For everyone else, both song and chaos were equally audible. Yes, the Souls truly were perfect in their timing...

Perfectly timed that Hyoma wasted no time in capitalizing on this moment as he stood up and faced Magilou.

...And as he looked to Magilou, she saw that smile, his smile. Weak, but made an effort to reassure Magilou that he would be ok. It was certainly to put her fears to the side. No, more like extinguish them. Because that smile, weak as it may be, was a knowing one.

"…(That song... You were listening too...)"

 _So spoke the witch to the traveler._

...Before, she would be reluctant to leave Hyoma behind, but that smile was enough to ensure he would survive. She didn't know how, but what mattered most was that Hyoma was expecting this song to play, and the only way he could expect this to play was if the two were separating, and the only way he could expect such separation even within these walls was if he expected a big event to occur.

So she called it then. A hundred words per second, courtesy of the burning emergencies and thanks to that, in that instant, Magilou was able to figure out what Hyoma was planning. The only thing left in his plan was to take her leave...

"The _quid pro quo_ demands that it's my turn next to tell stories. So you better stay tune for those!~ Now then, a promise!"

So she stuck her hand out between the bars of Hyoma's cell, seeking the hand of another.

Ahh... There was that tone Hyoma was looking. That singsong tone in her voice. It was good ol' trickster slash jester Magilou. And what better reaction could the trickster slash jester find than a big ol' smile followed by a happy sigh in their audience's faces?

"Hah..."

It was just like the how fast the moon illuminated the darkness. From peaceful light-heartedness to a joyously bright mask, the switch was instant. How could Magilou ever think she was losing her edge as a trickster slash jester? And so Hyoma wrapped his red gloved hand around Magilou's, promising to intertwine their fate.

And just like from their first handshake, one of them was longing for contact, refusing to let go of their hand, reluctant to part ways with it. One hand had kept a firmer grip than the other, the hand that belonged to the owner that desired for such contact to last forever.

"Then it's a deal...~"

And as soon as their hands parted, Magilou gave Hyoma her "unique, signature" gesture, bowing before him in the most dramatic and spectacular way, as one would expect from a performer to the audience.

"From me to you! Fare thee well, Hyoma!"

Hyoma could do nothing but wave softly back at her. The rubble quickly hid her from his view, but Hyoma was still frozen in time. His hand, though open and hanging in the air, remained still. His smile, that weak smile, unchanging. That melancholic face of his remained.

Even amidst this crumbling world, something still remains in his mind? Enough to keep him perfectly still?

 **It ran contrary to the word "survival"**. That's too bad... If Magilou saw him now, something would've been made clear.

"Sorry about this..."

* * *

One good indicator of a human who has lost a portion of humanity? Being immune to the screams of humans. Velvet had neither the time nor compassion to care about the deathly wails around her.

The explosions did their job extremely well. Chaos was strategically caused where reinforcements might appear. It didn't matter if these ideal spots were highly populated. In fact, for Velvet, that was a bonus. It meant more work for the exorcists.

"Gahhh!"

"It burns! It burns!"

"My parents! Where are my parents!?"

"Child, you must understand!"

"Quickly! Put out the fires!"

"This way!"

"There's more coming! Evacuate as many as you can!"

 **~ FFVIII – The Stage is Set~**

"It worked well. Good on you, mysterious helper."

Velvet said to no particular person in mind but herself. She was so impressed, in fact, that she actually took the time to observe the chaos. She had long since abandoned her vantage point up on the church, considering it was also one of the targets. Why that is was beyond her. Destroying the church served no purpose, for it didn't even force a chokepoint. There were people still praying in there, but they were likely just collateral damage. Nonetheless, she still had one more job to do.

"Velvet! It worked!"

Piercing through the crackling flames and painful screams was her elated partner. Quite the juxtaposition, it's almost cruel. Such a smile was out of place here.

"Where's Dyle?!"

"He's igniting the last fuse near the gate! He said we have 5 minutes!"

"There's enough to blow the whole gate down, yeah!?"

"Yeah! We gotta thank whoever set this all up! Any reinforcements coming in from Figahl Icecaps are forced to take the secret entrance, but the storehouse is all but blown to smithereens! And anyone that's already here have been forced behind the arch's rubble near the inn!

"Save your gratitude for later! We have to make sure the remaining exorcists that are trapped with us won't make it past the gate to the docks!"

"I'm already on it...!"

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that he was a war demon. Only those types can smile a toothy smile like his while being surrounded by the sound of crumbling buildings, the smell of burning flesh, the commotions of now-orphaned children, and the last breaths of those trapped beneath several tons of stone. It didn't matter if those flamestones were set up specifically to block the chokepoints. Collateral damage was imminent. Especially with how earth-shaking those explosions were. There was no safe place.

"The one with the bandaged arm! You were the one who caused this!"

An exorcist followed by 9 more. 5 with spears and big shields and the other 5 were casters...

"Phalanx formation! Those behind us, cast your magic! They have no means of long range, so take advantage of it!"

If they were shaken by the ordeal, they weren't showing it. They still had their wits and sense to follow orders and assume positions. At the leader's command, 5 exorcists line up with their shields, their spears poking above, and leaving little to expose.

"A phalanx formation... Velvet, you have your boots, right?!"

"I'm on it!"

"Exorcists! Just hold on until Teresa gets here!"

"You should focus on what's in front of you first!"

Velvet, with her headstrong attitude, charges forward. She neither needed her gauntlet blade nor her demon arm for this one. This time, it was all on her boots.

"She's coming!"

The spears were primed. It would be suicide to try and pierce an impenetrable front. So why did she keep going?! The phalanx's eyes followed her own. Her targets.

"She's going for our legs!"

It didn't take an order to synchronize a kneeling position, of course, with their spears still poking above.

"Look again!"

It was suicide, they thought. The samurai took advantage of their inability to reach high up and jumped above them. And from there, he was free to cut down the ill-equipped mages behind the formation. Every second was worth it, considering Velvet was the bait and one spell would be enough to break her focus. If they had fired their first round of spells, it would've been a downhill battle for the duo, constantly recovering and constantly defending.

"They're mad, I tell you!"

Agreed. It took a special kind of someone to dive into a den of long-reaching weapons with nothing but short-reaching weapons.

"Rokurou! Quickly!"

Another explosion?! No... That wasn't part of it...

"It's Teresa! Watch out!"

Her Malaks blew away the arch's rubble, revealing the long-awaited reinforcements. God almighty...

"There must be hundreds of them coming this way..."

"Exorcists! Keep two facing the samurai and three to face the demon!"

And trapped in between the formation and Teresa along with her Malaks was a helpless Rokurou. Neither side was looking easy to break through... No, it wouldn't make sense to go where Teresa was. Not even he was prepared for that army. But the two exorcists facing him could cover the width of their pathway with just their spears.

"Not making this easy, are you?"

"You are allied with that demon. Whether it's hundreds or thousands of exorcists after a mere two demons matters not!"

"Krgh..."

"Rokurou! I'm not staying here while those reinforcements are after us! And if the gate behind us explodes, it's all over! You said you wanted to repay me, well this is how!"

My gosh... No one is right in the head today. Akin to Hyoma before, Velvet wore an insane smile. Yes, there was nothing wrong with repaying debt with death.

"Oh, hell no!"

" **Heck no, is right!"**

And another?! She who would rise from the rubble and ashes of the church. Injured and scratched up, a body soaked in blood. Likely not her own. Must've come from the bodies crushed inside the church. Could she at least have the decency to clean herself up?!

"Hyaah!"

Her pitching form was pitiful, but miraculously, it did the job. A solid 10 out of 10 for nearly knocking one of the exorcists facing Rokurou off their stance with a palm-sized rock. That one was going to have a concussion for sure.

"Aaaaand! Noooww!~"

There was no better time than now for that distraction. Rokurou hadn't waste time at all. Didn't even spare Magilou a second glance, who was currently running behind him. Her speed was pitiful too. And in front of him was Velvet, who definitely didn't bother with a double take. She took off as soon as that rock made contact with the helmet.

"Dyle! Light the fuse! **NOW!** "

If that guttural "now" didn't do it, then the sea of exorcists led by the ice queen behind them definitely did. He had never seen so many exorcists before. It was ridiculous! The clanking of armor grew ever louder and his heart beats were fast enough to match each and every metal step. He wasn't even aware of just how shaky his hands were as he tried and tried to light the fuse.

"It's lit! Now hurry up!"

"Number One, prepare to clear the ensuing rubble!"

Teresa hadn't let up. Her tired state did nothing to hinder her stamina. She would have the heads of these demons even if her legs turn to jelly. This, she swears. The Malak she called Number One stayed behind to prepare a spell, hopefully in sync with Teresa's chase. A second too late and he would be dearly punished.

All the while, Dyle already prepared the ship. As soon as the last foot sets into it, the ship would take off.

"Grr... We won't make it!"

Even if she did have the stamina, she didn't exactly have the speed nor distance to catch up in time.

"Lady Teresa! I suggest using your wind spells to propel forward!"

"Praetor Eleanor?!"

Ah, but of course. Eleanor was a close-combatant. It took little effort to catch up to a mage like Teresa.

"That's unacceptable! I want no manpower spared in their capture!"

"The city will be erased when morning comes if this keeps up!"

Oh... You've yet to issue one, selfless order, have you? The moment Teresa stopped in her tracks and turned around, the sea of exorcists slowed down in their pursuit and eventually coming to a stop as well. She needn't see the faces hiding behind those helmets. All of them were waiting for that one order.

"Exorcists..."

…

…

…

"Please save this city."

And that was it. At that order, all of them dropped their weapons and shields, a cacophony of metal music to everyone's ears.

"Eleanor. You're with me."

The seventh and final explosion had gone off, closing the third chokepoint.

"We're golden!"

"No, we're not! Pick up your feet!"

But Magilou's warning would come too late. Teresa, her two Malaks, and Eleanor made it over the rubble courtesy of the ice queen's wind spells. As soon as she landed, Eleanor used her momentum to close the gap between her and Velvet, her spear leading the charge. Her perfect landing and sudden thrust was enough to catch Velvet off-guard. Hell, she didn't even have time to prepare her weapons. Her only defense relied on muscle memory alone and grasped the spear just before the blade reached her throat.

"Malaks! Concentrate fire on the samurai! Leave the demon to Eleanor!

Meanwhile, Velvet had been struggling to redirect the spear in her hands. If her energy failed now, the next minute, she would have her head on a pike.

"You...?! The one I nursed?!"

"What?"

"You're... the demon she talked about!?"

Her strength withdrew in accordance with her hesitation. Velvet would be a fool not to take this chance. So she pulled Eleanor's weapon and when she was finally in range, Velvet grabbed her with her unleashed claw and threw her back to the crowd of casting Malaks like pulling off a strike in bowling.

"Rokurou! Let's go!"

"Uh oh! She's sending one of the Malaks at us! I think they're planning a suicide attack!"

"Dammit..."

The blonde Malak?! This just wasn't her day. He wasn't stopping, but he was predictable. Before he had time fully prepare his spell, Velvet had attempted a low spin kick, knocking Number Two to the ground and interrupting the attack. But Velvet wasn't done. She used her gigantic claws once more to grasp her not-so-helpless victim. Use any means necessary right?!

"Knock them back! Far away! **That's an order!"**

Tick tock, tick tock, little one.

"An... order..."

And it wasn't long before a fire spell began conjuring beneath the trio's feet. They had no choice but to back off. Far away.

"Good! Let's go!"

Her words were useless. The ship already moved past the docks, fearing that Teresa would launch a wave of spells at it and rendering it immobile. Without an ounce of mercy, Velvet threw the child slave at the ship as she did with Eleanor before eventually jumping onboard herself. There was little hope in closing the distance and damaging it now. The path was destroyed by Number Two's spell.

…

…

…

 **The song of desperation had stopped.**

It would be several long minutes before Teresa got up on her feet. Now she could hear, once again, the nightmare around her. However, her gaze was fixated on the horizon. Even after the ship left the view, still, her face froze forward. What did she just bear witness to?

"Lady Teresa!"

Slowly, she turned her head to the voice, like a zombie who just heard the sounds of the living. Her face was one Eleanor would not remove from her mind for quite a while. She was a cut above many other praetors. She was a leader. The queen of Northgand. So many would be intimidated by her appearance, but little do they know of the light that twinkled in her eyes.

That's the best part. Seeing those stars in her eyes fade into darkness. She would be no different from the monster of today. The last of her self-awareness went into recalling that one moment.

 _"The justice I hold? Hmph. I saw not even an inkling of justice in your eyes, nay, not even a speck of light in them. Who are you... to judge mine's?"_

…

…

 _..._

"M-Medic! We need a medic!"

…

And thus, the abyss proclaims her as one of their own. For now.


	9. Sweet Unknown

" _ **Do you remember our Mother's advice? To use the stars above on our journey to the Skyline Views?"**_

" _ **..."**_

" _ **If you are unable to see the "river of light" in the sky, then close your second eyelids."**_

 _My Sister was the one who taught me how to close my second eyelids. Like my Mother, I don't remember anything about her appearance. I only have a voice to go by. A voice that I constantly replay in my mind once I lost myself in that void. And in that voice, she continued..._

" _ **Traverse through the darkness until you can see the river of light underground."**_

 _It was an advice I took to heart._

" _ **It is called the "Light Flow". A river of light that thrives in true darkness."**_

 _True darkness... 9 million years ago, the meaning of darkness was not without the meaning of light. She continued..._

" _ **This quiet, gentle darkness... provides for the "Light Flow". It is the only place the "Light Flow" can exist."**_

 _Balance was crucial. A true yin and yang. Concepts that had existed long before the Fourth Element, Life, came to be. What had happened since then? When has the abyss become a fearful thing to stare into?_

" _ **Should you lose your vision, you can always return here. Even without your eyes, you can still see the "Light Flow".**_

 _The heart of the advice was clear._

" _ **Know that which is, is kin to that which is not."**_

…

…

 _An advice that was later incorporated into the Rigveda in many worlds. Her influence stretched that far back. From what the Red Robes of Nova Hazama told me, her influence encompassed the entire Asian continent, and then mysteriously stops at the European continent... Still, even she herself was influenced. The Rigveda that she created was inspired by our Mother's Skyline Views. However, for that one moment..._

" _ **Know that which is, is kin to that which is not."**_

… _she was telling me only one of five points of the Skyline Views. The point of Chaos._

 _The Skyline Views isn't a physical place you go to, (though Mother says it helps to travel to a mountain peak for reference), rather it's a concept. That's why it was hard to understand what it was about. Sis was as confused as I was. That's why she tried to find a physical place for reference, even if helps with only one part of the Skyline Views, and eventually found the Light Flow within that darkness._

 _A darkness she calls the "Sweet Unknown"._

 _Chaos had revealed itself to her and she used that Chaos to shape the Multiverse._

* * *

…

…

 _..._

" _Have you come to see the Light Flow again, dearest Shooting Star?"_

 _It's her again..._

" _You'll burn your eyes. How will you see from the Skyline Views then?"_

 _The woman with the rainbow eyes..._

 _Aside from the golden river of living light, there are also... visitors. There's a lot of Light Flows in the Multiverse, but if you and some others see the same Light Flow, you're bound to see each other. But this woman... I swear... The moment I saw her twice, I ruled out the idea of a coincidence. There's an aura about her that rejects the presence of the Lower Domain and yet is intimately linked to it. She is exactly like that, along with 2 other people I've encountered before._

" _Who... are you...?"_

" _You've journeyed through a lot. Will knowing my name add much to it?"_

 _..._

" _Look at me."_

…

 _She was as I envisioned. A curious, true goddess veiled in red. Hair of white, and if the stars allow, hints of pink._ _ **Red eyes.**_ _Upon a face, serenity given physical form._

" _You were always able to see me."_

 _...Always? No... I'm sure this is the first... The first I've seen of her whole form... I swear it's the first... So then, why? Why wasn't I able to remember her appearance in the previous visits? For that matter, why was this the first time I've ever asked her for her identity? You would think, after 77 encounters, I would've remembered how she looks like, let alone inquire about herself._

" _Are you willing to hurt me again?"_

 _..._

" _Choosing not to remember me? That's alright. It's hurtful, but..."_

 _Do I remember her?_

" _My one, true fear."_

* * *

" _If I tell you my name, will you say it fondly?"_

 _I chose not to remember her? Something bad happened between us. Something... Perhaps the better question is..._

 _Is it worth my_ _ **health**_ _to remember her?_

" _Will you write it down in that bundle of memories with joy?"_

…

 _In this place void of laws, her tears were free to scatter. They fused with the Light Flow and became the source of all tears with regards to immortality and divinity. Stories would be made and passed down for generations about golden, glowing water that invokes tears._

" _To say my name with the same severity as the chaos within your eyes..."_

" _..."_

" _ **That is my one, true fear."**_

" **She looked at the sun and gave her a name that meant "Primordial Sun Princess".**

" **She looked at the stars and gave "them" a name that meant "Shooting Star".**

" **That was 10 million years ago. Well, in 10 days counting this one, it would officially be 10 million years. Yes, even now, that name stayed with me for that long. It was... really... the only thing in my possession..."**

Liar.

" **One...more...time... Shall we do it? My ninth and final introduction..."**

* * *

 **~ NieR Automata – Peaceful Sleep (Instrumental) ~**

* * *

The scene would play out so many times.

The blood and madness would seep into the land, sustenance for the lonely gray rose amidst a scorched earth. How many worlds have witnessed this play? How many corpses would dance around that gray rose?

" **So let me officially introduce myself..."**

Once more, the worlds tried to snuff out that gray rose. Imprison it, torture it, burn it. They're all futile attempts to erase its existence. Today, another attempt at its life was made. There, in that jail cell, the rubble had failed to trap it, nay, crush it underfoot.

Then, if the gray rose needed chaos to survive...

" **As you can see, I am just a traveler. I'm not a warrior that wages war. I'm not a fighter that engages in fights. I'm not a hero that performs miracles. I am not a prodigy or a genius that gave convenience to daily lives. I am not a knight that protects the weak from the strong. I am a traveler with all my heart and soul, an ordinary boy that wants to see all there is to see."**

Has the Kosmos ever tried to show the warm sunlight to this eternal gray rose?

" **An ordinary boy that seeks the warm sunlight, that embraces the cold, tranquil snow..."**

It was finally time to get up. He had enough of prisons. He should be. I mean, how often does one go to jail twice in one day? Or perhaps he had a different thought in mind. Did he even deserve to come out of his would-be tomb and bask in the morning sun?

" **...that smells the crisp, fresh air mixed with the scent of leaves and trees and wood, that innocently dips his feet in the water hoping he would overcome his fear of the deep blue sea..."**

"Really, now... They're a heartless bunch."

So he says as he sits on top of some of the church's rubble, perfectly content with watching the struggles of the Living. With so much death and destruction, Hellawes was bustling with more life than before. Gone was the sleepy town Hyoma previously described this place to be. The exorcists were no doubt keeping their hands full with the injured and restoration. At least they were indiscriminate with their first aid. That's a plus. And the citizens were far past the point of dazed and confusion. They pitched in to help as well. Then there was the type that outnumbered the determined folks.

The grieving types.

Everyone had something to do. A boy sitting on the ruins of a sacred place doing nothing but watching the suffering never existed in their vision. People walked past him and by him without so much as a glance. Children guided the exorcists to the rubble around Hyoma, attempting to retrieve the bodies beneath.

"You sure it's okay to just open the coffins in front of "them"?"

Hyoma didn't need to look behind as he said that. He was still perfectly content with watching the struggle. But his ears wouldn't fail him when it came to identifying the screams of the suffering.

" **...!"**

Although, no one ever said the screams would be vocal. They can be perfectly quiet, too. That long, drawn out silence was enough for Hyoma to know that they are screaming. There were many kinds of grief and knowing them all is just part of the journey.

"Please! Get the children of out here!"

Well said. Better late than never. That applies to you too, Hyoma.

Alright, fine.

And now the observer discards his throne and dusts off the dust from his coat. Yes, he would interfere once again. Was that necessarily a good thing? To many, the first interference would be the start of a series of unfortunate events.

"The coffeehouse... I wonder if it's okay?"

He wasn't in any rush. The damage was done, and the exorcists were many in number. There would be no shortage of manpower. The town would be back on its feet before long, though the same can't be said for those who had the unfortunate timing of watching flesh and bones get crushed by thousands of pounds of rock and concrete.

But he did notice a shortage of something. There was a heavy disparity in the work being done. Malaks, exorcists, ordinary people, they were all doing great. At cleaning up the ruins. But hardly any, perhaps five, six, seven people, half of them exorcists, tended to the wounded. While the displaced rocks were becoming few and far, blood continued to stain the snow the town is known for. It had become such a problem that Hyoma had no choice but to take a path filled with blood because there was no detour and no room for his feet to deftly maneuver through clean snow. Then after a while, he had stopped caring. Blood on his shoes was hardly a concern.

To him, it was a normal occurrence after all.

"You can't exactly have a town with no life in it."

Somehow, Hyoma knew he had to interfere more than just engage in mere conversation. But what can he do?

Hyoma continues to walk a leisurely pace, scanning everything and everyone. He was no different from a tourist. To those townsfolk, such an act was an insult. He had, once again, shrouded himself in contradiction. But it wasn't intentional. This kind of pace, Hyoma had been doing long before humans had even walked upright.

It was good to take in everything. That was the advantage of a leisurely pace.

"God almighty... Such clean yet brutal cuts... Not even the most skilled swordsman can do that."

"And you had the gall to show that to the children. How insensitive of you."

And you get to hear the talks of the town. However grim they may seem, it's useful stuff to know... Every time these kinds of scenes play out, Hyoma would always wonder how the "little war office" would react and act. She wouldn't hesitate in the slightest. These kinds of things were her domain and it was always a treat to see her work.

" **...an ordinary boy that gazes up at the sky and admire the stars, those shining trail blazers that guided him for eons. That's a special one..."**

"Where are we going to live now, mommy?"

One's mother wasn't even responding to that, much less moving at all. Ah, something even worse than their house burning down, he thought. The death of another child? The death of her husband? There would be countless of these exact situations all at once in this small place.

"With the way things are now, our little economy will collapse."

"Sigh... Here's to hoping the exorcists pull off a miracle."

It's almost like the exorcists blew this place up just to say "I told you so. You needed us all along". To create and or heighten their faith in them. Loyalty, slavery. However you want to put it. On that note, it's entirely possible there's some people that are thinking that exact thought. But that was wishful thinking. An entire organization with control over the western hemisphere didn't get here by petty schemes like that. Probably.

So what's your summary?

"Widows... Widowers... Orphans... Homeless... No work... Ideas of moving out... Injured... Dead... Ruins... Lack of medics..."

That last one was especially alarming. You've got an entire army in the hundreds and thousands range and only a handful know how to work a first aid.

"I wonder how they usually deal with this, then?"

Maybe they don't.

But that will be prioritized later. Hyoma finally reached his destination.

" **...An ordinary boy that, when the stars have been outshone, gazes up at the clear blue skies instead, well, sometimes clear, sometimes cloudy, but most of the time, blue skies... that observes the suns with the same, fiery ferocity as the suns that observes him..."**

"The coffeehouse... Ah...!"

Lying beside a stack of crates is the bartender from before.

"No... He's a barista. I've been calling him Mr. Bartender. Geez, at least correct me... Goes to show how much I go to those kinds of places... No wait, priorities..."

The closer he got to the barista, the worse the picture became. He had to kneel down to get a closer look, though, no matter how grotesque it was.

"Oh...! It's you."

…

"Don't talk."

Second-degree burns on too many places to list specifically... And a third-degree burn on his right arm...

"(Ugh... When was the last time I did first aid...?)"

When was the last time you needed to do first aid, is how you should've said that.

"(And I don't even have my crossbody bag... Where on earth did that go when I came here...?)"

Your "all-purpose" crossbody bag? Ouch. Probably got lost in the waters when you landed here. Maybe it sunk all the way to the bottom. Or eaten by local wildlife. Or better yet, someone's making use of it. Oh! If they did, they're probably reading your other journals too!

…

"I'm not doing too hot, am I?"

Facepalm.

"I don't know what you're doing out here, but the bitter cold will not help with your burn injuries. Can you please get inside somewhere warm? To the inn, perhaps?"

"I can... do that..."

Hyoma had tried to help the poor man get up, but his attempts were extremely clumsy, trying to grasp on to something that wasn't an injury. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to let him stand on his own. His arms are a "no-touch zone".

"And please tell the staff to prepare some cool water. Cool. Not cold."

The barista, despite his injuries, could still hold an analysis. The boy held a completely different aura than before. Gone was that tired persona of his and in comes a quiet, but firm attitude. His red eyes had determination, some kind of resolve. His sluggish, relaxed movements were replaced by purposeful actions.

He knew what he was doing. And knowing that, the young barista can follow his orders without delay.

"Can someone please escort him safely to the inn? Any exorcists available?! Please make sure he doesn't fall! And that goes with everyone else! Please head to the inn or anywhere that's not outside!"

" **...an ordinary boy that softly caresses all plant life, whispering into them sweet nothings... that quietly respects all animal life and never once looked down on any of them..."**

There were some doubletakes here and there. But the last thing anyone needs right now is less hands and less unification.

"Allocate any exorcists done with the rubble towards escorting the citizens! And any tasks with too many people, please pull some out!"

Well, that's good. If it's an exorcist shouting the commands, things would move more smoothly than some random outsider doing the same thing. Meanwhile, the outsider that was Hyoma became slightly more frantic with each passing second.

"(I don't have any supplies with me... The best I can do is apply cool water to minor burns, but that's all I can do unless I find something to relieve the pain and or cover them up.)"

He had been pacing back and forth in an alley, away from sight and away from people.

" **...an ordinary boy that reached the peak of every mountain he laid eyes on, not for the challenge, no, no. He did it to see the world around him in its beautiful entirety..."**

"(Then there's the severe burns... How do I cover those up? If I had some gauze bandages, that would really help...)"

Pace, pace, pace...

"(Ah! My journal!)"

Indeed, gone was his sluggish and relaxed movements and in comes the jitters. What he was doing was trying to find his journal, an item that had accompanied him throughout the ages, never splitting up from his side. An item that was just as much of a partner as his people-partners. But the way he is right now makes it seem as if he had lost his journal, an occurrence as rare as lightning and an asteroid hitting the same person at the same time.

"(Here!)"

And with an ungodly speed, flips through the pages.

"(Where is it...?)"

* * *

Eleanor hadn't had her share of rest. In fact, she hasn't slept at all. Especially not with what's happened so far. Being sent to search for an elusive green lizard, investigating the so-called "Night Parade" in Hadlow Hollows, and now this?

"Perhaps this is karma for healing the demon... But I... I didn't know...!"

After Teresa collapsed, the inn had offered the two exorcists a room to rest in. A private room, away from all disturbances so that hopefully they recover fast and begin managing Hellawes properly. Teresa was, thankfully, asleep. As long as she's okay, everything will turn out alright. That's why Eleanor had decided to watch over her, sleep not included. Although just very recently, the inn was getting too noisy.

"Praetor Eleanor!"

"Y-Yes?!"

And so the noise even personally reached their own little space.

"I apologize in advance for the disturbance! The inn is getting more crowded from people getting away from the cold."

"Yes, I understand! Please keep everyone safe!"

Eleanor was a praetor, but here she was, doing nothing to resolve the situation and selfishly taking away a high-class room from the people that actually need it. It hurts knowing that. But she was, in fact, far too fatigued to even move a muscle. It got the point where she was able and likely content with sleeping anywhere.

"Eleanor...?"

But one, weak voice was enough to jolt her back to life.

"Lady Teresa...!"

Back from the dead, I see. Teresa turned her head slowly towards Eleanor, her eyes a bit lacking in energy. She was struggling to fully open them.

"Is everyone... alright?"

" **...an ordinary boy that loves to hear the advices from all walks of life, their stories, their struggles, their own journeys. This ordinary boy loved to hear everything about the stories of others, be they the trash of society, the higher ranking demons of hells, the dull, automatic angels of heavens, the strange and abnormal oddities of society, the commonfolk, and of course, other fellow travelers. No matter who or what or how they lived their lives, this boy wanted to hear everything."**

"As..." She looked away for a second. "As okay as it gets. But you need to get better first if you want to help!"

Those words did the opposite. Teresa wanted to challenge those words and got up from her resting position. She hasn't been too badly injured aside from the fire spell Number Two set up beneath her. Aside from a few minor burns on her legs and a partially burnt dress, she was doing just fine. Especially now that she had her much-needed sleep. It's too bad she got her sleep in this way. Not from a hard day's work, but from cowardly collapsing from the stress.

"..."

That was a painful thought. Teresa wanted to push the events of yesterday into the back burner. Hellawes needed her. She had already failed once, she would not tolerate a second time, not even for herself. She looked to Eleanor. She, too, was looking worse for wear.

"I'm sorry... You haven't slept a wink because of me, did you...?"

Her sullen face was obvious and the cause, equally obvious.

"I..."

So Teresa laid her hand on Eleanor's shoulder.

"Get some rest. Can you do that for me?"

Teresa's voice was low and soft. It surprised the both of them. One wonder's when that kind of voice was last used? To lull her brother to sleep? To comfort anxieties? Bed time stories? Whatever it was, it was far more convincing than when she was shouting. Probably because it was rare for her to be like this. And if she was willing to use this voice on Eleanor, then she was dead serious. In a good way.

"I will... do just that..."

The decision to sleep was influenced by two things. 51% was from the allure of sleep, and 49% was Teresa. So maybe, just a tiny bit, that regardless of what Teresa says or does, Eleanor would go to sleep anyway.

…

…

…

So down the stairs she goes.

Down.

Down.

Do-

" **This beautiful world... a place where everything and everyone is located in... a place that I call the "Living World"... This is the place that I love. Because I am a traveler, I journeyed towards the Skyline Views so that I could see the Living, Rainbow World and all of its colors equally."**

"Hold still, ok?"

-wn...?

"KGGHHH..."

"If anyone still needs the water, it's here."

"I'll take it."

"It's clean now. Too bad we're out of soap. No antiseptics either. But thank goodness gauze exists here..."

The inn was lively with people helping people. Not one was seen doing nothing. But there was something else. A scene that should only play when heaven descends upon the land. In other words, never. There he was, the main cause of Teresa's lack of sleep and agitation. Her collapse also induced by him. Her hesitation, his fault too. And if convenient, the explosions, all him. She had every right to murder him in the worst possible ways, right there where he stood, in front of others. But no. She stood there, frozen on the stairs, unable to take a single step down. And before she could even muster up just enough energy for one step, the boy looked her way. His piercing red eyes drew her own eyes to them immediately. They didn't contain the insanity from before. His red coat was perfectly clean, though a small part of her wonders if there's some blood on it. Hard to tell. But if he was okay, then...

"Are you alright, miss?"

It was him. That unremarkable, meek, quiet, shy voice contained within the body of a young adult veiled in clothes suited for mischief. A mess of contradictions. Even amidst the clamoring from the helpers, the groans of the injured, and the staff moving around and blocking her view, it was unmistakably him.

"You."

It took one word for Hyoma to look away. It wasn't her voice or her tone or the way she looked at him, or even the word itself. She had been softened, and no traces of the rumbling thunder. She talked to him as she would talk to anyone else. But even so, he still looked away. It was so obvious what her story so far had been about and who the major culprit was. If he hadn't said those debilitating words to her back at the church, Hellawes would probably be better off than it is now under a healthy Teresa. So before he could do any damage-

"Wait."

Hyoma was ready to take off, but again, a single word stops him dead in his tracks.

"What can I do... to help?"

Not what he expected.

 **Liar.**

"Um... well..."

God, this was tough. Hyoma was scratching his cheek, his face a mix of confusion and defeat. He was caught by the one person he was trying to avoid and now that same person is asking him for help. Such a mess should be sacrilegious.

"If you and your "servants" can do some healing spells, that would help a lot." Still, he did not turn around. "Please focus on those with third-degree burns and above. I'm not sure if your people have the supplies or methods to treat them normally."

"Servants". Malakhims, yes? She lost one of them. Perfect time for that... But any help should be appreciated at this point.

* * *

Teresa left a short and sweet announcement declaring her return and taking command. Her first order of business, well really, her only task was to unify the people. The orders she gave were orders already given to everyone else by other exorcists, who in turn were given suggestions by the boy with red eyes. Even so, her appearance alone was enough to motivate everyone to work even harder than before.

The boy of red eyes didn't suggest everything, though. Whether it was forgetfulness or by choice, there was no mention of planning funerals for the dead or aiding the ones most affected. Teresa came to suggest that instead. An original order for once.

But even with her and the Malak's help, treatment was slow. It's not that they lacked the medical supplies. They actually had too much. Too much of the wrong thing, really. Almost nothing from the supplies was for burn injuries. Understandable. No expects a burn injury in a place that can barely feel the sun's warmth even in summer.

"At least all the non-burn injuries have been taken care of. The arch, the two gates, and the storage have been cleaned up as well. Ease of movement in and out of the city should be restored by now."

Which means more helpers from the outside as well as allowing messengers from the inside access outside. Think positively I suppose.

* * *

What were we looking at again?

We were looking at the ship.

Why?

Because they have people Hyoma is interested in.

People sounds too broad. Only two of them are of any actual intrigue.

What a horrible string of words.

…

"You saw that, right? We totally mopped the floor with that town!"

"Woohoo! Another great chapter to add to the "Tales of Magilou"!

Ugh... Why was I stuck with these people...? Though I shouldn't complain too much. The recent series of events really did favor me. With the raid on Hellawes, exorcist activity should cease for the moment, giving us some room to breathe. Huh. Maybe I should show a bit more optimism. Their own cheers and laughter were enough to nearly make me crack my own smile.

Not nearly. You did crack a smile, Miss Velvet. But when you turn away from the crew and hold your smile with your demon hand, it really does seem like you're completely insane. More insane than you are now. Such covert, evil smiles.

Everyone was all accounted for. Rokurou, Dyle, Magilou (unfortunately), and...

"Seems we've an extra!~ Velvet, would you like to come on stage and tell us how this happened?"

That witch, I swear... It's a miracle I haven't thrown her overboard yet.

That extra she was referring to was the Malak I took with me. I didn't really have a plan at the time. My head was a jumbled mess. He was simply the most convenient and closest tool to stave off the exorcists, but I never actually planned to take him with me. I don't even know when I took him with me at all.

"You were holding on to him pretty tightly.~"

I was? Was I in such a dire situation that I didn't even notice what I had with me at the time? Not even noticing I held on to his tiny hands when I went onboard? That's the power of stress for you, I suppose.

"Soooo... Number Two, was it?"

Magilou knelt down in front of the small Malak, the teasing aura back in full force. He had his body turned to that witch, still with that same, dull expression he wore when he turned against his superiors. Whether killing or conversing, I don't think that face of his will change much. How extremely pitiful.

"Whether you like it or not, you're one of us now! After your little display of betrayal, no doubt the exorcists around the world have gathered in one big, scary place, discussing on how much money should be rewarded for your pretty little head.~"

"Magilou, enough."

If he was going to be one of us, we want him in good condition. Scaring him off like this wouldn't do any good for us.

"Well, well. I suppose so. Lucky you, Number Two. Big sis Velvet is here for you."

She stood up, dispersing that oppressive and toxic aura of hers, and turns to me.

"He's a useful catch. Nice job, big sis Velvet.~ Healing artes and powerful magic all in one, tiny bundle of joy!"

Sigh... I wasn't in the mood for retaliation. It's been a long, long day...

"I get that you want to keep him healthy for those reasons, but little old me has other thoughts on your thoughts.~"

I sent her the best glare I had given my condition. I wanted her off my case. Otherwise, she would just keep reading me like a book, like she just did right now. It was annoying. So damn annoying... Fortunately, she does walk away, picking a spot on the front of the ship, which I'm sure has its own term, but I'm not exactly a seafarer.

On the opposite side was Rokurou and Dyle at the helm. At least I know that. They were conversing with each other, hopefully about how to properly control a ship and our destination. If this little journey of ours fails again, I know exactly who to blame.

The Malak on the other hand, chose to remain where he was, though, staring at the sea now.

"Velvet! How are we doing with directions?!"

What? Weren't you the one with knowledge of the sea? You're asking a country girl about this? Sigh... let me see... The compass should be on top of some barrels... Here...

Sigh...

Hm...

…

Ugh...

I don't know how to use this.

"Actually, you're holding it wrong."

The Malak...? Was I so engrossed with my own incompetence that I failed to notice him in his new spot in front of me? He had been staring at me, then nervously pointed to the compass. I'm not going to hurt you. As if he was afraid of me lashing out, he spoke in a quiet voice...

"It's built to function even if the ship is rolling."

"Huh... That's... good to know."

"Velvet! Did you hear me?!"

Ugh... That's twice he shouted. Damn it, enough with the loud voices!

"The heading's fine!"

I said in a tone with far more annoyance embedded in it in retaliation for his own shouting. So then...

"Kid. What's your name?"

...

"Number Two."

I'm not surprised. I pressed on, though.

"Not that. Your real name. Surely you have one."

One second, two seconds, three... It took that long for him to shake his head "no". Of course he wouldn't have a name... Why did I even bother asking?

…

I looked at the compass for some escape from my small embarrassment. Hm...

"Do you want this?"

"...!"

That was the widest he had ever opened his mouth, for his standards anyway. He was prepared to snatch the compass with his extended arms, but held back.

"If... If that's an order..."

That's no good.

"I'm asking what you want."

"Is that... also an order...?"

 _Annoying._

"You really are tools."

 _His dull expressions were an insult. Annoying._

*Nod*

"In that case, keep your mouth _shut."_

…

…

…

Harsh, Velvet. So very harsh. So I'm not allowed to tease him, but you're allowed to torture him? What is with the double standards around here?! Then there's the disparity in morality where you said it's okay to murder everything on sight, then say it's not okay to break into Hyoma's privacy! Sheesh, woman! Control yourself!

That poor, ugly, tiny thing. The moment Velvet turned her back to him was the moment the boy knew of the feeling of rejection. And boy oh boy, did he display that rejection well. Dull expression? I think not! That gloomy, downward facing face is all the audience needs to read his emotions.

But why had she seemed so upset? And notice I said upset and not indignant. The latter was reserved for typical vengeful Velvet. The former? It should be reserved for a lecturing Velvet. Indeed, that upset expression of hers was more disappointment than anger, as if she had just finished lecturing the kid. As if... as if...

Nah.~ I wouldn't read THAT far in yet. No. Not just yet.

And so Velvet heads inside the ship's only shelter. The one underneath the helm. Yes, that one. Don't look at me like I'm clueless! I'm a witch, not a sailor!

Then, with Velvet gone, the play is over for now and the Malak boy returns to his post on the side of the ship to gaze at the sea once more with melancholy. And for the record, melancholy means sadness with no obvious cause. That word would've fit him perfectly BEFORE Velvet's little rejection. And now, melancholy was the least compatible word. Anyone could tell the cause for that sad look was from one, Miss Velvet.

And you too...? You too looked at the sea with the same sadness, like right now.

…

That's enough out of you all.

…

" _Don't die now, Magilou."_

…

I don't need you telling me that. I can survive just fine. It's you that everyone should be worried about. How would you have escaped from there? If you escaped at all, that is.

 _"...Hahaha... I'll be fine. I always turn out ok in the end..."_

Always, huh... Wish I knew what that meant, but a part of me also wishes I don't want to know what that meant. It was a balancing act with him. That mess of contradictions, messing with my head. What am I supposed to believe?

…

He was the one who planned the explosions, a fact still unknown to the rest of the crew. So if he planned everything out, he should've lived. Did he plan his arrest though? Surely not. I was the one who got him arrested in the first place. I'd be crossing beyond the boundary of possibilities if I was to think that Hyoma also planned that.

…

"Never thought I'd see the day when the ocean became more vast and beautiful."

…

"If you're dead, then who else would be interested in hearing my stories?"

…

" _I am tired..."_

 _..._

* * *

 **Hellawes, Northgand**

 **Late Afternoon**

 **Clear Skies**

Quiet has yet to descend upon Hellawes. Even after the sun was preparing to exit the stage, noise of all kinds still dominated the town. It was a shame considering its other nickname as the "tranquil capital". Although the scenery has changed quite a bit. There were hardly any citizens outside. The exorcists have taken over the work (as they should, with their training and whatnot). The rubble had been cleared, though that's to be expected with a hundred-something exorcists working around the clock, but no amount of physical training was enough to eject some of the heavier rocks. Those would be passed over to the animals and their wagons. How quickly some things turn to the "primitive".

And boy, was primitive the right word. It was inescapable that certain animals would not cooperate.

"After this, you're all going to have a feast."

And that's why Hyoma volunteered to help. One last time.

"Hm... Or maybe I'll let you all escape?"

And I say one last time because if anyone heard him say that, he'd be exiled immediately.

"Are you trying to convince them to move?"

Well, doggone it. He was so busy kneeling down and whispering sweet nothings to the yaks that he didn't even hear the loud crunching of snow. Also he'd have red cheeks because he was almost caught talking to animals. Actually, he was caught and no amount of speed put into his head spin was enough to escape.

"They are the most uncooperative of the bunch."

He says as he looks to the other yaks that he helped move. Now if only they could give him a wink to thank him. That would make his day. Ah, but priorities.

"Are you a... prae...tor? You're not wearing any armor like the rest of the exorcists."

He says with such difficulty as if his vocabulary have been reduced to that of a high school student. Oh god, please no.

"Yes. I am Praetor Eleanor Hume."

"Hm..."

Hyoma wasn't convinced in the slightest, but if he showed it, he'd probably be speared.

"Those yaks haven't moved from Hellawes since 2 days ago. The owners said they were reacting violently."

So much for introductions...

"Do you know any commonalities?"

Aside from the fact that everyone in Northgand probably felt the avalanches?

"Now that you mention it, the owners were traveling near Hadlow Hollows, but that doesn't say much considering how many animals, including yaks, travel close there."

She knew about the rumored "Night Parade" but decided not to divulge the details to an ordinary person.

"..."

Hyoma turned to the animals again. He wasn't stupid or naïve. To think of yourself as being "close to animals" from a bunch of misunderstood signals. He knew the yaks probably didn't understand a word he said to them and it wasn't their fault. It's his. But when it's an animal trying to communicate to Hyoma instead, there are some obvious cues. They had all been looking at him, shaking.

"(They weren't doing that before...)"

Which means something about Hadlow Hollows triggered it. So he turned to the praetor. A praetor that was on a whole different level than Teresa. Whether that's good or bad, well, that's anyone's guess. Green eyes, reddish hair, standard uniform and a face that says, "I'm ready to help!" In other words, the "infectious with optimism" type.

"Where's the other praetor?"

And so he turns to the yaks yet again, observing their behavior.

"Do you mean Lady Teresa? She's inspecting the church. She says she was housing some criminals there and might've escaped."

That froze him.

"O-Oh..."

Wait... And why wouldn't a fellow praetor be told about it? Did Teresa not tell anyone yet? Or maybe she's planning to arrest me after Hellawes is back to normal?

"She also wants to see a "boy with red eyes, red coat, and messy black hair"... As she listed those descriptions, Eleanor eyed Hyoma up and down as if she wasn't wholly convinced it was this boy that Teresa wanted. "...which I assume is you. She didn't tell me why she needed you, though."

"(I'm dead.)"

Nice words for someone who isn't acting or behaving as if they were just sentenced to the death row.

"I'm still trying to help, so can you please tell her to wait?"

"Ah! Y-Yes...! Lady Teresa did say you were a big help, so I shouldn't be interrupting you for too long. So, thank you!"

So she bowed and ran off.

"Huh... She's NOT Teresa."

Why are you expecting every praetor to be as cold as Teresa!?

So that I could have an easier time?

Sigh...

…

…

…

"Alright, yaks, you asked for it. I'll go take a look."

The decision was made. Hyoma finally got up from his 15-minute-long kneeling position, the snow that clung to his right knee the perfect evidence. Curiosity had been his primary motivator. His intentions never truly lied in helping Hellawes, but the objective had been accomplished.

* * *

"Party time!~"

Facepalm.

"It's not a party. We're discussing what we all know."

We all took our afternoon naps, uninterrupted might I add. I think I might've seriously lost it if someone broke my silence. Now that it's night time, the waters are thankfully calm, the skies are clear, we can finally converge and talk, Magilou, Rokurou and I.

"Well, first order of business is our immediate concern. Velvet, you wanted to head to Loegres, right?"

"Right."

"Only one problem. The narrows between Northgand and Westgand is blocked off by a fortress called the Gate of Vortigern."

"And I'm guessing they won't just let us stroll right in."

"Nope."

*Munch munch*

"Luckily, we have barrels of food and—hey!"

"Nu uh! Ru wourdn't wanf mer dgropping thish and washeting it, wourd ya?!"

Sigh... Gross... Every word, there's food coming out of her. As you can see, to my right is Magilou, hogging the bed of course and sloppily consuming our food stocks. A total glutton and a freeloader on top of that. And to my left, well, now he's to my right fighting with Magilou, is Rokurou. This is my crew.

"Rokurou, just... Sigh... Leave her be. I'm already sitting on the barrels, so she shouldn't be able to get any more food than necessary."

"Oh yea? Try me!"

Relieve my stress, fingers that are now pinching my eyes. Now suddenly, I'm talking like her. The world's over, everyone. Go home.

"Ugh, stop talking. You're getting food everywhere. Now then."

"Velvet doesn't know how to read a compass!~"

" **E-Enough!"**

"Velvet, is this true?"

"Yes, daddy."

" **Stop talking for me!"**

"Then talk before I talk!~"

Facepalm.

"Look, a compass ain't hard to read. Just lay it anywhere and read it. That's all."

"I...!"

Gods, this was humiliating! Every damn word out of that damn witch is poison for the world!

"I'm not familiar with the sea." I said in a surprisingly calm voice. "I know nothing about the sea. I stopped caring to learn about the sea." I said, now in an unsurprisingly melancholic voice.

"And that's why I'm telling you this now."

"And I say I don't need it anymore once we reach land."

"..."

"..."

"...~"

…

"Next topic."

"Let's see... How about the thing Dyle was talking about?"

"You mean about the demons in Hadlow Hollows?"

I had completely forgotten about that. I did brush it off in favor of planning for more practical goals. But now that I remember...

"It was enough to make a demon himself shiver."

"Whoa, whoa, wait. You guys had an adventure without me?!"

""(And thankfully so)""

"You didn't miss much. We didn't even bother exploring. I suppose if we want more information, we should ask Dyle later."

Why are you looking at me like that? Like I said, we had more pressing matters. If you wanted to explore so badly, you should've gone on your own and kindly leave me out of it. I'm not about to waste time on a field trip when Artorius still lives.

Then what happens after you kill Artorius? Would you live a normal life? Enough normalcy that you'd finally go on field trips of some sort? Leisure time is useful time, not a waste of time.

…

"Darn. There's your chance for potential discoveries. You could've made a lot of money unearthing secrets. Instead, here you are, out in the middle of bumfudge nowhere, wasting away in a ship that we stole on the backs of screaming, suffering, hard-working citizens."

"Damn right. Wait, you made it sound even worse at the end there."

This is my crew, alright...

...

 _"Oh yea, where is your other party member? Did he die or something?"_

…

"(Why would I... try to remember that...?)"

…

…

"...vet!"

"Huh...?

"Didn't you hear us? We're talking about Hyoma now."

"We're talking about you talking about Hyoma and talking about him to us. Get what we're talking about now?"

Him again? Why?

"Didn't I already tell you everything?"

Seriously... Enough about him... We have our own concerns and worries, we don't need one more to drag down our group any further. There's no use talking about the dead, anyway.

"So far, all you told us was about your encounter with him when he was thrown into your cell. He was light when you picked him up, seemingly immortal when you tried to crush him, though I think you're just delusional, and that he managed to get into Hellawes just fine. That part, I didn't know about."

"Then you know as much as I do now."

"Then what about when he-"

Seriously... Why are you all so concerned about some random boy that has not done a damn thing for us to warrant concern? Enough already... Enough... I've heard...

"I've heard enough. I'm going to bed. Magilou, move."

"Sheesh... Nice manners you've got there, Empress Demon."

...

I don't want to hear anymore... No more... Please... No more... No more of him... Don't talk about him...anymore...

...

" _Hello there."_

" _What's your name?"_

" _My name?"_

 _Odd... Does he..._ _ **not know his name?**_

…

…

…

* * *

"Northwest of Hellawes and Figahl Icecaps... Then a cave..."

Hyoma had left Hellawes in favor of investigating Hadlow Hollows. He held on to the map the entire time, his eyes glued to the piece of paper, also the entire time, save for the few times he would look up and check to see his current location. Although a question arises. How on earth did he navigate through Figahl Icecaps without so much as worry filling his body? This was a place where demons could prepare an attack on Hellawes and so the exorcists do battle here, the engagements enough to kick up the snow and leave behind an artificial whiteout.

In a place like that, Hyoma simply strolled to his destination as if the makeshift gravestones and dead bodies were just as much of a tourist attraction as the plant and animal life.

He wasn't exactly covert on his journey either. The strong winds picked up his massive red coat every which way, making it seem as if he was one, big meal fearing for his life, an easy prey. But what does it matter?

"We're here."

…

…

 **The song of serenity has stopped.**

…

 **...**

 **Hadlow Hollows, Northgand**

 **Night**

 **Clear Skies**

Blink and you'll miss it. The cave entrance was small and unremarkable. There were no distinguishing features or even any manmade signs that says this is Hadlow Hollows.

"Oh great, it's dark."

What did you expect?

"No footprints going in or out either. Must be from the blizzard yesterday."

How did you know there was a blizzard? Why are you suddenly THIS knowledgeable?!

"Hm..."

Hyoma had yet to fully set foot in the cave, content with standing on the edge of the chamber, the first of many no doubt.

"..."

His gentle, red eyes regarded the cave with warmth. It was his own, personal ritual. At every new environment, Hyoma would stay still and observe. It was a quiet ritual. Wordless. He wanted to let the environment know that he was intruding and apologizes in advance for any disturbances he might cause. He wanted to respect the environment he was in. Always. Respect, not admiration. Admiration of nature would be one's downfall.

"Alright, then."

Hyoma didn't bother to prepare rope or flags. For one thing, he didn't have them. And two, he didn't need them. He is hopeful that the cave would provide enough landmarks for him, but he wouldn't find any standing there, and so he moves on. Forward path has a gap, the right passage looks like a dead end, so the left passage it is.

"Although... This place isn't exactly the most attractive looking cave..."

Hyoma walked slow. A cave isn't a place for the hasty types. Even if it seems like the features are forgiving like this one is turning out to be, one shouldn't rush in a place that could kill you in various ways. A collapsing ceiling, random droppings of rocks in the shape of fangs, wildlife, terrain that can trip and break your legs and thus dooming your fate, the inherent labyrinth feature, so many things. And as Hyoma treads along, he couldn't help but drag along his hands on the walls.

"A blue cave... What an odd color... And these prisms..."

Indeed, by the time he reached a second chamber, Hyoma knew the strangest feature of this cave was going to be the prisms. Blue prisms that have seemingly replaced stalagmites and stalactites.

"I've explored a lot of caves, but I'm no expert. Still, I'm pretty sure there's not one cave without rocky fangs."

And another thing. These blue prisms are giving off their own light. Faint, but noticeable. Point is, they shouldn't be emitting anything.

"Hm... I should probably take some with me."

…

…

…

"That should do it. Now I did bring a bag with me, so where... Ah!"

And there you go. His first crime. It was for a good cause.

Not that rocks emitting light was strange for him, but it never hurts. This was a new "place" after all. Things will be different every journey and what better way to respect the land you're intruding than to thoroughly examine it?

"Now, about that wildlife..."

A split... To the right is the gap, forward is a dead end, so left... And now the third chamber.

"...Still no wildlife."

Granted, actively finding life in a cave is harder than you think. Not every cave is going to have your stereotypical bats hanging off of the ceiling staring at you with red, glowing eyes or snakes wrapped around fangy formations. But even if those situations are present, it is still quiet. That's one feature present in all caves and one that Hyoma loves. The serene silence mixed with the dripping of liquids responsible for forming the caves in the first place.

The other feature is their natural maze. Yeah, that. In other words, contact with people is rare.

"Not a single troglobite to be found... And what is this... Tar?"

His first, true obstacle. A gap filled with tar. Fortunately, there are some rocks protruding out of the liquid, making it easy for Hyoma to jump on them and eventually make it to the other side.

"..."

He turns around.

"...The light is slowly dimming."

That's generally the case. The further you are into the cave, the darker it gets, in fact, it's a miracle you can still see. Was that because of the light-giving rocks or...something else? And so, further down he goes until he encounters a fourth chamber. And like with any other cave chambers, Hyoma wasn't going to rush through it. He took the time to analyze the surroundings, even if the chambers all retained the same qualities so far.

"..."

Even indoor voices can travel a long distance in caves. Hyoma's habit of suppressed sighs through his nose was still considered loud here. That goes for his whispers, too. His sighs, though, were especially loud. They were symptoms of intense focus. This cave prompted it.

"Another split... Left and right are dead ends... Let's keep going forward..."

Rounding the corner, Hyoma was met with another obstacle.

"Great... A boulder..."

He looked to its left, to its right, and of course, not above. This thing was twice his height.

"..."

So he used his physical frame to his advantage and simply slipped to the side and being extra careful with his jump onto a rock above the tar. Not exactly the best place to do such a risky jump, but it's not like Hyoma can just push the rock somewhere and staring at it isn't going to help.

The next set of chambers and passages were easy to navigate through. They had no splits. It was a bit disappointing and boring, but no splits meant more thorough investigating.

"..."

Every prism, Hyoma looked behind it, above it, below it, around it. Any plant life living here was analyzed. The ceilings were carefully inspected, even the nooks and crannies. Something in here had to have caused those yaks to go ballistic.

The next set of the cave involved more jumping and...

"More tar... No tars in the passages, only in the gaps..."

The tars were becoming more frequent, however.

"..."

And it's only now that Hyoma began to seriously analyze the walls of the cave, especially the ground he was standing on. Anything beneath, he would brush off dust and pebbles and other things to see hidden layers.

"Dark spots... No, wait..."

The walls certainly have a layer of darkness, albeit difficult to see in an already dark place. And it was only a hint darker than the layer above. But the ground...

"..."

Hyoma, from his kneeling position that allowed him to analyze the ground, quickly took off, as if realizing a very important fact. It was easy navigation again with no splits until finally...

"...!"

His running slowed to a stop and his eyes lost their tired look, now looking somewhat energized. He needn't look around this one, big chamber to notice the darkness of the walls, ceiling, and ground. In here, the cave had lost its blue mystique, save for the pillar prisms, still in their blue luster. And of course, the main attraction.

"A lake of tar..."

…

…

…

"...!?"

It was rare for Hyoma to look panicked, and even rarer for his head and body to turn 180 degrees quickly. In a situation like this, it's probably because...

* * *

 **~Midorimono / Mushi~**

* * *

"This song..."

…

…

…

…

" **Mushi..."**

Throughout this cave, one of the first things Hyoma was looking for was the presence of Mushi, but even those mysterious creatures were absent. So for them to appear now... With his back to the lake of tar, Hyoma was anxiously watching the only passage to this chamber, seemingly frozen. But when a white mist began invading into the chamber, the bad feeling had escalated to pure, genuine, fear. And that fear was enough for Hyoma to take a full dive into the tar without hesitation. Yes, a full dive. Everything submerged and lying prone beneath the tar's surface, with Hyoma carefully watching.

"..."

And when the white mist fully filled the chamber...

"(A Mushi Banquet...?)"

If we were doing a Mushi Banquet, do you really think you should be this scared? No. Something else caused your "fear". Please look again.

"(No... Not a Mushi Banquet... Those are... Souls...)"

Indeed. Human-shaped figures wrapped entirely in white robes, their faces, too, covered. To the outsider, they all looked the same. They were all in line... The leader of the line...not so different from the others...

"..."

The white robes... All the same...

"(Souls emulating a Mushi Banquet...)"

The line of Souls, or so they seem to be Souls for Hyoma at least, split up to form a circle. One layer... two layers... three layers... Three circles...

"(35 Souls for each layer...)"

So... 105 Souls total? How did you even count that fast and how did you even count them at all, given your position?

Only one Soul, the leader of the line, traveled to the center of the circle and placed a green sake cup there, before finally assimilating into the innermost layer of the circle.

"(If it's a Mushi Banquet, then...)"

Even if he was underwater, Hyoma's range of expressions were unhindered. The look of shock looked no different than if he was on land.

"(That smell... Sweet... with traces of...)"

…

…

" **(...Rot...)"**

…

…

"(It's not Kouki... **It's Fuki...)"**

And eventually, the smell of rot overpowered the sweetness, forcing Hyoma to cover his nose. It even began to sting his eyes.

"(No... Focus...)"

It was hard to tell if he was getting teary-eyed from the smell.

" _ **Ereshkigal. Please. Drink. This banquet is for you."**_

…

…

There!

"(A Soul in its Shooting Star form?)"

Is that... surprising? There were plenty of Souls outside. They even roamed above Hellawes. Did you not already establish that this world has aspects of Hazama?

As if on cue, the Soul engulfed the sake cup within its form, drinking up the black liquid, Fuki as Hyoma called it. It had been a visual experience, considering Souls are translucent. But that wasn't enough. This was the critical period. Hyoma absolutely needed to see the process and its conclusion. Quickly, he lied on his back and watched the blue prisms' reflections, eyeing which one had the better angle. It was difficult to use them due to the lake of tar's inherent muddy traits, but it was enough for him.

The Soul had begun to take shape of the Vessel it once used in a past life.

A familiar shape.

A familiar figure.

A familiar person.

 **("Oh...goodness. Goodness... no...)"**

A black crown that not only served as proof of her (former) deific status, but also served to accentuate the golden hair designed in the iconic flanking twin-tails.

And...

("A black coat dyed red underneath...)"

* * *

" _If you won't let me borrow your coat, then you better feast your eyes on what I have in store!"_

" _Please don't. My red coat is all I have. If someone else wears a red coat, then I lose my uniqueness."_

* * *

" _ **Ereshkigal. This banquet is meant to allow your being into our world."**_

" _ **..."**_

" _ **Our purpose, your purpose now as well, is to sing to the moon. We have deemed your voice worthy of such a task."**_

" _ **..."**_

" _ **You can do that, can you not? Former Goddess of Death?"**_

" _ **...Ah..."**_

" _ **..."**_

The lying body, Ereshkigal they called her, had finally woken up. Eyes of red, slowly revealing itself to the world. Eyes that have slept for...so long... Her right arm, sluggish but smooth in its movement, reached up to the ceiling, as if trying to grasp something.

" _ **...Ah... Aaaaahhhh...~"**_

…

…

…

And with her soft, weak, quiet voice, the curtain closed on the banquet, the white mist growing ever stronger before finally dispersing, leaving behind an empty, quiet chamber once again.

…

…

 **The song of green things has stopped.**

…

 **...**

* * *

 **~ NieR Automata – Peaceful Sleep (Music Box) ~**

* * *

" _To say my name with the same severity as the chaos within your eyes..."_

" _..."_

" _ **That is my one, true fear."**_

 _ **...**_

" _To say_ _ **my**_ _name with the same severity as the kosmos within your eyes..."_

" _..."_

" _ **For me, that is my one, true fear."**_

* * *

 **"My name is Hyoma Hokulei. As you can see, I am just a traveler. A sole, ephemeral traveler that journeyed towards the Skyline Views so that I could see the Living, Rainbow World. All the colors revealed themselves to me, and I gladly took in all of those colors."**

" **That was the ultimate, eternal goal of my travels. To feel the liberation of a rainbow."**

" **If I ever forget my story, I'll just say my name...**

" **...Hyoma Hokulei."**

 **Personal Date - September 24, Year 10,000,285**

" **That should do for introductions. Journal closed."**

…

…

…

…

 **...**

" _ **If you ever forget her story, just say her name... "**_

" _ **...Hyoma Hokulei."**_

…

…

 **The song of serenity of the music box has stopped.**

…

…

" _ **What a wonderful world..."**_


	10. Author's Notes

I will now proceed to pleasure myself with this fish.

I kid. But what I will do, and you're going to hate me so much, is bombard you with a **very long author's note**. A delicious ~5-10k words worth of author's notes. And you know what's even more annoying? At the time of this writing, it has been only a few minutes ago that I posted the latest chapter with THESE NOTES! What the heck? Anyway, take it away, notes!

* * *

I'm going to be so annoying. I truly apologize in advance, but I do hope you don't mind a long author's note. **I'm also hoping you are willing to read this because it will decide whether or not you should waste your time or indulge your time reading the story.** This chapter is, after all, the end of the prologue, so there's no better time than now to follow up on what I said in the first chapter. **All of this is to prevent me from wasting your time.**

So this story. If you haven't noticed the tags, yes, this is a crossover. However, just because those are the tags placed there does not mean crossover elements are restricted to those media. Deciding which anime or book or whatever media to tag in this story depends on how heavy I use the elements. So if I use heavy elements from, say, Black Rock Shooter, then I'll include that. If I'm using like one or two characters from another media, then I won't add the tag.

As for the sources of work besides Berseria, I will tell you this now. You don't need to know anything from any other sources of work to understand what is going on. I will try my absolute best to make sure crossover elements are not only explained nicely, but also fit smoothly into the story. I will try my best to make sure as if these elements were actually in the game in the first place. However, that doesn't mean you should go in completely blind. I do recommend, but not implore you, to read up on the sources of work I have tagged. As an example, it's not much of a spoiler with this chapter now, but Ereshkigal. She's from Fate/Grand Order, but you don't need to finish the singularity she's in to understand her here but you're free and more than welcome to read up on her. Another source of work, Black Rock Shooter. I won't spoil much, but whenever I'm talking about "Hazama", I'm talking about the world that's in Black Rock Shooter Innocent Soul manga. That world, along with elements from Mushishi and Yoru no Nai Kuni, are significant to this story.

Now the writing style. I'm not the deity of uniqueness. Everyone has some commonalities. But I do admit that the way I write is a little strange. I'm not aiming for Shakespeare levels of complexity, but I am at least aiming for some critical thinking. Take the narration for example. Its speaking as if it was "alive" or is actually a character in the story and is actually talking to the characters. You should've at least noticed that. Just use some context. Who is speaking? Who isn't? Of course, I'm not adding confusion for the sake of confusion. Everything I write has a purpose or at least, I try to make sure almost everything has a purpose. I might miss some. I even keep a notepad as to why the style is like this in one part and something else in another part. And under the category of writing style, I did mention this before, but yes, I will write the music being played, but more on that below. And another thing. If you think this story is a little lacking in action scenes, then you're quite right. I tend not to write minor battles as it is a waste of time. I only write battles if they add to the story and or I'm showing off a character's combat skills for the first time. Besides, we already know how the characters in the game fight. Do you really want me to write every single random encounter? It's going to tire both of us out. I place more emphasis on "world building". The story is a journey, after all. What's the point of a journey if you don't even describe the environment?

 **Now for the second most important note**. I'm not sure if you notice, but I will say it just in case. This story takes place after several stories have already been done. What do I mean? Well I did write that Hyoma is a traveler. Basically, he's traveled to different places and Berseria's world is the latest. I'm sure you won't care enough to listen to a little life story, but I'll say it anyway because I'm so annoying.~ So every book, anime, manga, show, game that I experience, I take notes. I've been doing this ever since I watched my first anime, Serial Experiments Lain and I still take notes today. What are these notes for? Well they help me find ways to include Hyoma into their stories. I write the entire plot with Hyoma included in them. Does it seem childish? Yea it does, but it's so fun to do. And if you haven't notice, Mushishi, Black Rock Shooter, Yoru no Nai Kuni are included in as well. Ultimately, what I'm trying to say is that this story of mine is a sequel to all the other stories I never officially put online. This brings me to the point of this part. **Everything being said and written in this story has elements THAT EXPECTS THE READER TO KNOW ABOUT THEM FROM PREVIOUS STORIES**. But that's cruel. I never uploaded my stories, so I can't expect you to know what Souls are. Why on earth did I write about Souls so casually and not explain them? What about Ereshkigal? Nine from Blazblue? Mushi?! The flashbacks?! The toilet?!

Whew... But rest assured. Every element that were previously mentioned in past stories (that I never uploaded by the way and didn't refine them yet), I will explain them here. For this story, think of it as rehash. That's why Hyoma's journal is important. It contains all his travels so far, so if I need a convenient explanation, I'll just pull out deus ex iter.

Now then. With all that said, will you still read the story? I know for a fact that many of the things here will definitely put off readers, so that's why I'm warning you now since the prologue is officially over.

BUT WAIT! THERE"S MORE BELOW!

-

Now, if you managed to reach here, then good for you. But I'm going to be annoying again. So once again, and I said again three times, I do apologize in advance.

I saved the most important part for last. My main character. The character that I have named after myself. Hyoma.

 **Such arrogance**

I won't mince words. **If you're the kind of person that EASILY gets aggravated, then I ask of you kindly not to read this story**. When I wrote the additional tag "extremely controversial characters", I'm not kidding around. This character is the only thing original to me, and I only have one job, to maintain this character (because I'm certainly not the creator of any of the works I reference), so you can bet that I will put my heart and soul into making sure the character is as "alive" as possible.

Now, Hyoma. This chapter offers an introduction to the character. It is only a glimpse of him, but if the things he said about himself here is enough to rile you up, then again, I ask of you not to read this story. If you love characters that have unlimited, special powers, perfect personality, perfect physique, a powerful mind immune to despair, covered in deus ex machina, covered in pheromones, sudden power ups, plot armor, invincible, never uses the bathroom, **this story is DEFINITELY NOT for you.** **As Hyoma said, he is a traveler that travels. This is a character that has no powers. Nothing**. Please, always remember that. No matter how the story goes, please always remember that Hyoma has no powers. Hyoma is the kind of person that prefers to solve things with his mind instead. Now, note that I said no powers. **I never said he can't fight**. Well if I actually got up and finished the "prequels", that isn't much of a spoiler. He is just as much of a traveler as Ginko is from Mushishi. Look at him. He's freaking awesome even though he's just an ordinary traveler. In fact, he's a huge inspiration for my character. Ginko along with Kino from Kino's Journey, two travelers which serve as inspiration for Hyoma.

So once more, if what I said about Hyoma does not sit well with you, then you shouldn't read this story, period.

 **With that said, let's go over some trivia!~ Regarding all the elements that will be thrown out there that a reader is supposed to know based on past stories. These will come in handy when I start talking about them. More of a heads up. Of course, I'll add more of these trivia later on when I introduce old elements that I haven't introduce before. Also, these are just vague descriptions. Remember that none of these are considered spoilers. So off the top of my head, we have...**

Multiverse - Refers to one of two dimensions in the story. The Multiverse is simply a collection of universes. This is where the nonexistent "prequels" took place.

Ascendant's Domain - Refers to one of two dimensions in the story. The Ascendant's Domain is completely separate from the Multiverse, and contains only one universe and one world which is Altjira. This is where "Rainbow World" takes place.

Living World - Refers to everything, including living and nonliving things, both of the dimensions above, reality, imagination, everything ever.

Souls - When Hyoma talks about them, he's referring to Primordus Souls, an original concept of mine. Souls are invisible unless the observer is a Soul themselves. The observer must also be aware that they are a Soul. All Souls have two default forms, called the "Shooting Star" because that's exactly what they look like, except smaller, and "Red Robes". All Souls are also immortal. **All Souls can sing regardless of their form**. Primordus Souls also refers to the many types of Soul under that category.

Tabula Rasas - Original concept. They look almost like Souls' "Shooting Star" form, except brighter and smaller. They are what make up Souls. Only two Tabula Rasas are needed to combine and make a new Soul, but a Soul can have as many Tabula Rasas, however with no additional effects. Tabula Rasas can also combine to create Mushi, which, to put it simply, is nature itself. 10 million years ago, Tabula Rasas rode shooting stars that were heading for Nova Hazama, essentially making that their homeworld.

Mushi - Comes from the manga and anime, Mushishi. I have my own little twists in them. First off, they're made of Tabula Rasas. Second, there are two types of Mushi. A Nature-Mushi and Animal-Mushi. Nature-Mushi is basically Mushi that look exactly like actual nature like trees and grass. Animal-Mushi can range from microscopic animals to normal sized animals, but for the most part, behave differently than regular animals. **All Mushi, regardless of what form they take, are alive. They are also invisible and only reveal themselves to those with a calm aura as they are sensitive to tension. They can also simply choose to reveal themselves. Certain Mushi can sing.** They will be expanded later on.

Soul-Borne Mushi - Mushi that were once Souls. When a Soul dies, they can ask the Death Goddess to choose their fate. One ending involves the Soul giving away its Tabula Rasa to make Mushi. It's similar to dead bodies being recycled and put back into the environment.

Red Robes - Refers to the video game Journey. Self-explanatory. I added more, in that their original world is Nova Hazama and that they're Primordus Souls. One of two default forms of a Primordus Souls. In Journey, they can produce music. In here, it's the same thing, except they can use sound to guide Tabula Rasas. They can also sing.

Stagnant Souls - Comes from BRS Innocent Soul. These are Souls that remain in Hazama due to lingering attachments of some kind, awaiting Ascension from the "Death Goddess".

Corrupted Souls - Comes from BRS Innocent Soul. These are Souls that cannot get rid of their attachments and become corrupted and hostile. Comes in many forms depending on the Soul. No longer invisible.

Epitaphs - Original concept, but based on Gnosis from Xenosaga. The final stage of a Corrupted Soul. The usual way of turning into these is if a Corrupted Soul is left corrupted for too long.

Bound Souls - Original concept. These are Souls that have fused with a "Vessel" and forgot their identities as Souls. Cannot separate from their bodies after death and require a Death Goddess' help. Cannot switch forms.

Unbound Souls - Original concept. These are Souls that have fused and or created their own Vessels and retain their identities as Souls. Can also be synonymous with Primordus Souls. Can switch between their "Vessel" form and default forms. Can also choose to separate from their bodies after "death" and reform it elsewhere, essentially becoming immortal. Can also choose when they go to Hazama, the afterlife.

Ad Infinitum - Original concept. A Soul that has reached the "Skyline Views" becomes this. They have a form fitting for their identity.

Altruism - Refers to one of the abilities of a Primordus Soul. Gives up their Tabula Rasas to make either a Soul or Mushi. Differs from the choice the Death Goddess gives due to still being alive when performing Altruism. Altruism will result in Nonexistence if a Soul gives up all of their Tabula Rasas or is left with only 1 Tabula Rasa.

Union - Refers to one of the abilities of a Primordus Soul. The one performing Union will have their Vessel taken over by another Soul. The one performing Union can place "Conditions" on their Vessel beforehand.

Vessel - Original concept. Refers to any form of a Soul besides their default "Shooting Star" form. This includes any form like a cat or a dog, or a catdog, or more commonly, a human.

Hazama - Refers to the world from BRS Innocent Soul. A planet half the size of VY Canis Majoris. This is basically the afterlife, where Souls go after death. 75 percent of Hazama form a massive solar system around the Hokulei Constellation. The ruined homeworld of Souls.

Nova Hazama - Somewhat original concept. Refers to Hazama before the apocalypse split the world in many fragments. The ruined homeworld of Souls.

Hazamic Apocalypse - Refers to the event that caused Hazama to break apart.

Death Goddess - Refers to the deity of Hazama. The current and longest running Death Goddess is Alcor, which is the name I have given to Black Rock Shooter (2012 anime version mind you.)

Death - Death refers to the event when a Bound Soul separates from its Vessel. It is not death in the sense that they are gone forever. For Bound Souls, death is necessary. Since a Bound Soul is fused to their Vessels and do not remember their identities as Souls, they cannot leave the Vessel and go back to their Soul form, even if their Vessel is heavily damaged. They will continue experiencing pain that's enough to kill without actually dying. If this goes on for too long, they will become insane and turn into Corrupted Souls. A Death Goddess is required to separate a Bound Soul from its Vessel. Unbound Souls can keep experiencing death and keep reviving because all they need to do is exit their Vessel and create a new one, all without the help of a Death Goddess. However, Souls are only immortal. They are not invincible. They can be killed by means of being devoured, but only by other Souls.

Rehabilitation - Original concept. Many Souls go to Hazama after their deaths because they have lingering attachments and or strong regrets. In Hazama, Souls can wish for anything if it means getting rid of regrets. When a Soul is satisfied, they will reach Ascension.

Ascension - Original concept. After a Soul has reached Ascension, they are given choices by the Death Goddess. One, they can reincarnate in a new dimension (if you die in the Multiverse, you reincarnate in the Ascendant's Domain and vice versa). Two, you can give away your Tabula Rasas, in which case, you have a choice whether they become Mushi or an entirely new Soul. For special Souls, the Goddess gives them a third option. Reincarnate within the same dimension in the hopes that they will use their talents to guide the world they reincarnated in.

Spark - Refers to the clash between Alcor and the "Shooting Star of the Star Wreath", sending out radiation. The burst killed 2 trillion lives. The phenomenon is similar to a gamma ray burst.

Spark Radiation - Refers to extremely abnormal radiation that spread throughout the Multiverse and responsible for many phenomena. Killed 3 trillion lives.

Neutralis - Refers to the pulsar surrounded by a disc of Souls. Responsible for the ultimate fate of the Multiverse by means of a Heat Death or Big Crunch (referred to as Reversal Fate) depending on where it tips.

Chaos Wars - A 20 year war whose ultimate goal was to balance out the Neutralis that was currently favoring Reversal Fate. Left 3 trillion dead and 500 planets destroyed. The war is central to the stories before this.

Amalgam - Refers to the antagonistic group that instigated the Chaos Wars with their purpose to balance the Neutralis. Contained many characters from different sources of work. Led by Hyoma Hokulei.

Fractals - Refers to the group that fought against Amalgam. Contained many characters from different sources of work. Led by Kusaka.

MYA - Stands for million years ago. For worlds that recorded their dates past a million use the term "Meganuum". So if it's September 23, 7 million years, then it's September 23. Calendar systems use the first letter of Metric prefix so H2 is 200 years because hecto = H = 100 years. Just combine them.

Interviews - Usually referring to the "Aces of the Chaos" documentary and interviews created by Reiuji Utsuho, a character from Touhou, and documents and interviews those directly involved in the Chaos Wars. It also sought to understand the main antagonist of the Chaos Wars, Hyoma Hokulei, who was being interviewed without the interviewee even knowing of his identity until the end.

Nexus Wave - Refers to the group led by Sing Love, the main antagonist from Black Rock Shooter The Game. Sought to overthrow Alcor and replace her with Sing Love.

Majestic Views - Refers to a 10 member group that includes 8 characters from the Black Rock Shooter franchise, the other 2 outsiders being Lain Iwakura from Serial Experiments Lain and Hyoma. Formed to help Alcor in her role as Death Goddess and regulate Hazama.


	11. Rayleigh Scattering

_"From where you look is important."_

* * *

 **~F/GO Corridor of Memories~**

* * *

"Why the long face? We helped fulfill your for-lifelong dream."

**was getting extremely tired of this. She had lost count of how many times this cosmic horror had visited **. The first time left an unforgettable impression, but now the novelty had worn off, akin to stargazing for shooting stars, for what were once, rare sightings.

"Isn't the almighty wolfie's Master Unit sufficient for that task?"

That was **'s retort, a girl whose haughty nature was unrivaled. Gods, if they ever survived an encounter with her, would likely write tales of her behavior. Lores and history books would depict her as an anti-anti-hero, or maybe an anti-anti-antagonist? Her role was undefined, point being.

Who really knows?

"You pride yourself on the very machine we're standing on. You should be able to show us more of its capabilities... **can you not**?"

Tch... And there goes that cosmic horror, like a beast locked up in a cage with nothing to sustain itself other than the anticipation of the sustenance themselves, just out of reach. Her malicious intent was not-so-subtly dripping from her literal black mask.

But this place was **'s domain. Nothing was impossible for her here. At any time, she could unleash her own cosmic horrors upon this child of the long-lost author. An indescribable lot. Unfortunately, it's only in this domain. ************'s allies were elsewhere in Altjira... but also not in Altjira, for even ** couldn't observe them.

In other words, she'd been in the loser's circle in an uneven playing field. And for quite some time. After all, such a prideful and "appropriately" superior creature like ** would not take losing lightly, unless the prospect of winning was no longer existent.

That only begs the question as to who managed to put even the great ** in checkmate.

The black-masked woman, once again, became a witness to a rarity. **'s silence. Of course, the first time ** and her "precious" were raided and hijacked, she was deathly silent.

" _Those are not the eyes of one who has lost something, but rather, someone."_

According to her "master's" words, ** wasn't upset about her domain being stolen, but rather the loss of someone dear to her.

Someone died during the raid on the rogue satellite. It had to have been someone who died on the last day of the attack because that was also the day **'s antics suddenly stopped.

Exactly who in the wide heavens would have enough persistence to pierce through **'s hellish walls and stay with her anyway?

But then on day 2 of her capture, ** sprung back to life, the events of the recent past seemingly unimportant to her. If she wasn't observing, she was talking. A lot. Such was her nature. Except, that paper thin mask of hers was painfully transparent.

But then on days like this, she would temporarily resign her personas and look wistfully at the artificial heavens. That was when the paper-thin mask would fall.

"If observing the sun was all I had to do, I'd be happy. No. Even if you tell me not to, even if it hurts me, even if it blinds me, I'd still observe the sun. If you told me I could choose one thing and one thing to do, it would be to look up at the sun."

Yes, on days like this, she would reject the world and enter her own. She was her own conversational partner, her words, meant for her, even if those around her could hear it.

They would never understand anyway.

" **However, this... isn't how I wanted to see the sun...** "

They would never understand **'s wish.

* * *

 **~End~**

* * *

-Including the day he disappeared, it would be 3 days since. From the 24th of September to the 27th. 3 days and still he sleeps. And apparently, that's 3 days too much for Teresa. According to Eleanor, she wanted to speak to the sleeping beauty here. Now why did I emphasis 3 days? Well, let's see...

Apologies for going a bit off tangent, but I wanted to speak about my job. At least... what I THINK is my most recent job. A job that not only lets me meet a lot of people, but also open their hearts and discuss with one another, the latter of which is half the reason people visit coffeehouses in the first place, even more so in these trying times. Inevitably, my job made me more aware of the people themselves like their behavior and expressions and such.

But that would've never prepared me for Teresa. With the unconscious traveler on my back, quite a light one, Teresa stormed towards me before I can even set 7 steps into Hellawes. It was then that I was treated to a treat, a treat with unknown flavor, like licking a popsicle with a mystery flavor. First, there was impatience, then there was anger, next was confusion, then quiet, then sadness, finally, confusion again before leaving me just as confused. I wasn't prepared for an onslaught of a rainbow of emotions, so it follows that I couldn't even remember her words to me. Eleanor had to fill me in and even so, not much stuck to my head. I blame it on a certain praetor's colors and my traumatic injuries.

* * *

" _Lady Teresa, this way!"_

" _Who found them?"_

" _The group stationed in Faldies Ruins. They caught a glimpse of a boy carrying an unconscious man. The same man with the red coat that helped us."_

" _And they didn't aid them!?"_

 _After the tragedy of Hellawes, Teresa was forced to look inwards. If she was to stay a human of morals, that was a necessary thing. No more burning buildings. No more burning people. No more corpses beyond recognition. At the very least, she could do to reduce the chances and the quantity of those events._

" _Ma'am. Apologies, but the two men were headed straight into the heart of a blizzard. A short but dangerous route."_

 _The excuse had the exact opposite effect on Teresa._

" _If they did take the straight route, that means they were desperate. All the more reason you should've helped them!"_

 _The guard fell behind her, the same ol' thunder finding its way back into her voice, and it was enough to slow his running. But that wasn't enough. Without even turning her head, she spoke again._

" _When this is done with, bring those scouts to me."_

 _The clanking of armor had stopped. That was the only response he could give. The only response she needed._

 _And sure enough, by the time Teresa reached the front gates, they were already here. The barista and the red coat boy._

" _Are you two injured? We'll bring you to the inn."_

" _No, no. I'm fine. It's only him."_

 _The barista gestured with his head to the boy he was carrying. It wasn't necessary. There was only one other person. But it was mostly to check if he stirred somewhat, to show that he was alive. It was a morbid thing to think of, but braving the blizzard might've meant killing this boy._

 _The entrance guards offered their help, but before the boy could be passed on to an able-bodied person, Teresa was already in their presence._

" _Wait."_

 _The only other guard with their hands empty stood at attention._

 _Teresa took a closer look at the boy, his face mere inches from hers. If she was a medic, maybe such actions were necessary. She knew healing artes, but without them, she was just as useless as every other bystander onlooking an accident._

" _(So what exactly was she looking for?)"_

 _Inquired the barista._

 _It wasn't for medical reasons. There was only one thing she wanted to do. Something that could only be done right now._

 _And that was to gently pry open his eye._

 _She stared at it._

…

 _..._

 _And "it" stared back. Blank. Cloudy. Lifeless. Blood red._

…

…

" _Lady Teresa, his eye will dry out if you keep that up for too long."_

 _..._

" _It" continued to stare._

 _..._

 _What was it? The thing people from the ancient past used to do often?_

" _(Stargazing.)"_

 _She was right. It was all they did._

 _It was all she was doing. All she cared about doing._

 _The blood red in the pattern of a sunburst._

 _It was much better than...than..._

" _Lady Teresa! You're going to destroy his eye!"_

 _This time, the barista broke through, though not without consequences. There wasn't an ounce of gentleness in the way Teresa closed the boy's eye. There was never any real danger from just keeping one's eyes open for too long. It was a false threat. But the barista saw the boy's eyes for himself._

 _ **They were treasures. They must be preserved.**_

" _I... I apologize."_

 _She could feel the searing heat on her cheeks. They all saw it. The guard that was no longer at attention. The barista. And the other guard carrying the boy. They all saw it, but that didn't mean she would give the show a longer screen time. She had to cover her face and turn around._

" _(Heavens... What... What was I doing?)"_

 _What were you doing, indeed?_

 _Even after the guards were long gone, the barista remained where he was. A single brow, raised. It was all anyone needed to figure out what he was going through right now._

 _But maybe he was the one in the wrong all along?_

 _The rainbow of emotions. Very clearly visible from the person he thought was impossible to happen to._

 _He still had a lot to learn. But the real question is..._

" _(Should I tell him about this?)" Chuckling ever so slightly at the thought._

 _And Teresa? What about you, dear?_

" _(There was no insanity.)"_

 _Ah. That. Still hung up on that? Did you figure getting a closer look would allow you to see the insanity you thought you saw during his grandiose objections?_

 _Metaphors, my dear. They are a powerful thing._

* * *

Eleanor did say this traveler was a big help for Hellawes. I won't argue against that. I wouldn't have left my injured state if not for him. But clearly, he was more than that. Or rather Teresa knew him more than just a mere helper. Was it a short or long history between them? Hard to say.

Even in his sleep, he still displays a pained face. I hope he wasn't hurt too badly from whatever it was he was doing in the Hollows. When I saw him, he was face down on the snow just outside the entrance to the cave. I can't even tell if I made it in time. He's not even breathing. But he's not decaying. He was in good condition back then and the same now. His clothes had no stench of death on them. He had to be alive...

"..."

!

Oh geez! How long ago was this?! I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I hadn't notice his red eyes staring at me.

"It's dark out. Visiting hours are over."

...

 **Hellawes, Northgand**

 **Inn**

 **Evening**

 **Clear Skies**

 **...**

…Are those... seriously his first words? Great, because of that, I don't even know how to respond. What he said wasn't a question. It was a proclamation. He hath decreed that no one is allowed to come near him now that this... "visiting hours"... are over. Assertive from the get-go.

"No such thing as visiting hours if I'm the one that saved you."

His eyes pointed at the ceiling now, but he remains completely still. Waking up after this long, there must be a lot to process.

"Saved...me?"

Still a little dazed?

"I found you passed out in front of Hadlow Hollows."

His hand emerged from under the blanket and covered his head. A headache most likely. But his hand didn't even move to caress and comfort his head. He was more focused on covering his eyes like he didn't want me to see them. Or maybe he's forcing himself to remember what he's witnessed before passing out.

…

…

...

"(Right... Her...)"

Ereshkigal was long dead. Alcor and I, along with 8 others, confirmed her death. Her Soul wandered the forsaken, transit land of Hazama, but her previous role as a minor Goddess of Death meant that she was of some use to Alcor, so instead of helping her move on, she accompanied us as an unofficial member of the Majestic Views.

But I left them ages ago, so what happened between then and now... I've no clue.

Souls that have wandered into Hazama cannot leave without the Administrator, er... Alcor's help.

But Ereshkigal is here. She is not in Hazama anymore. Did something happen to make her leave?

…

...

...

There is merit to the idea. Ereshkigal wasn't honest with her feelings. Hyoma leaving should've scarred her. That had been the second time the two parted ways, after all. It may have been extremely arrogant and self-conscious for Hyoma, to think that a girl as high class as Ereshkigal would miss him, but she made it so painfully obvious. Although... the keyword is "should've". Certain preparations made it possible for Hyoma to leave quietly. Preparations that made sure the last ties have been cut and erase all traces of the traveler.

So if the course of events flowed as naturally as possible, Ereshkigal should've stayed with the Majestic Views to continue rehabilitating Hazama.

…

…

...

Whether it was Alcor or not doesn't matter. Ereshkigal had been reincarnated and someone is taking advantage of that.

"(And in an entirely new dimension as well.)"

A new dimension, hm...? At the very least, that's one question answered. This place...

"(…is my final stop.)"

I couldn't leave. I would "imagine" traveling to that same, accursed, sea of white in Aurora, but I ended up in the middle of nowhere in Northgand. And I know the _exact_ details of that place. So if I still ended up here and not "there", then this really is the "new world" Alcor and the Red Robes talked about. A place separate...no, cut off from the Multiverse.

"(It's cruel.)"

A familiar face resurfacing here of all places.

"(Can't you all leave me alone already...?)"

…

...

…

He'd wager about 7 minutes had passed since he last saw the red coat boy's red eyes. Had a headache really afflicted him to this extent? If something that painful lasted for this long, he figured the bedridden boy would, you know, grunt or scream or something to indicate he was in pain. But if he wasn't in pain, then...

"Do you mind sharing what you've seen in the cave?"

Hyoma's hand ungracefully glided across his face and rested on top of his chest. Perhaps it was an illusion, but the barista could've sworn the boy's red eyes were swirling, as if in complete disarray. It was for a second, maybe even less, and if not for the fact that the barista was already staring straight at Hyoma's eyes before revealing themselves, he would've missed it. Should he... not have asked that kind of question?

"How common are the uncommon for you?"

Hyoma had but an iota of effort left to shoot a glance his way. He stayed very still. A statue's rigidity suited him.

"Um... the uncommon?"

"It could be anything that the average person doesn't encounter daily. Supernatural things like ghosts, living water, or a dream-eating animal."

Those had been three things at the top of his current head. If he was of sound mind, he might've added "deadly toilets" on the list just to see his reaction. Those things were very real and very dangerous if even the master of masks had to step in to help. It was a scene that would never leave his mind. A "god of sorts" disguised as a masked gentleman fighting demonic toilets.

"If you can count those things as "demons", then I would say... yes?"

Ah. Right. Demons. Hyoma had forgotten about them. The headache really was getting to him. He'd allow himself a small hint of pride when it came to reading people's thoughts, but that gets crushed in the midst of even the most minor of debilitations.

"Were there demons in the cave?"

Demons? Why the plural? There was only one demon in that cave.

…

"Yes."

"But... you somehow made it back out alive. That's what matters."

…

"Yeah... I made it... back."

And it was back to the same peaceful silence that invaded the room before Hyoma woke up from his coma. It was deathly quiet. For the both of them, especially after what happened to the town, this kind of quiet was needed. And Hyoma hadn't the energy to tell him to leave.

"You look a little healthier."

And now the switch in subjects. Indeed, they've talked enough about him. Hyoma never liked doing that anyway.

"Yeah. I have you to thank for that."

He's definitely a lot better. The last time Hyoma saw him, he was able to see burnt flesh and bones. And now, he looks ready and able to pay Hyoma back with free beverages. If he didn't mind being a mummy while on the job. Okay, it wasn't THAT bad.

On an unrelated note...

"You have white hair."

Another unexpected curveball. Little by little, the barista was understanding the storm behind Teresa's veil.

"Is that... weird? I've-"

"And you have pitch black eyes.

What was he trying to say?

"Were you born with it?"

Why was he so interested all of a sudden? And to interrupt him to drive home his interest... Did he never notice it?

"I've had them for as long as I can remember..."

…

For as long as he can remember, he says. Hm... Hair. Needs a brushing. White hair. White as white can be. Black eyes. Black as black can be. Black and only black... A restrictive black. No patterns. Not even light.

"And how far back _can_ you remember?"

The inquiries continued.

"How far... back...?"

…

It wasn't a trick question. But clearly, the snow haired barista was hung up on the question. Yes, most people wouldn't be able to answer with pinpoint accuracy, but a commonality is almost assured. They would all point back to the time between infant and childhood.

…

The silence was the only answer Hyoma needed. No mentions of childhood. No mentions of even vague memories from infancy.

"I'm sorry. I've never thought of actually looking back far enough to remember my earliest memories. It's not something you do every day."

He'd been so preoccupied with working his brain into overdrive that he hadn't notice Hyoma turned to his side, his back facing him now and the thick blanket veiling all but his head.

...

"Have you ever stared at a lake?"

That was the keyword.

And so the barista's answer...

An unfortunate victim.

…

" _No. Not an unfortunate victim. He loved nothing more than to stare at lakes. Even now. Something ate away at him, enough to gaze into moonlit lakes."_

…

…

…

 _..._

 _ **...and so the bugs ate the memories he was willingly discarding. That is my conclusion."**_

 _ **...**_

 **SEPTEMBER 28, YEAR 465**

 **...**

 **Hellawes, Northgand**

 **Afternoon**

 **Clear Skies**

 **...**

That was it for that little section. Now to put away that precious journal of his. So proud of the fact that Hyoma was able to write on his journal while walking without messing up horribly. The first several times he was writing while walking, oh boy. A kindergartener's handwriting was easier on the eyes. Even chicken scratches were legible. Ok fine, the former example was sort of an unfair comparison. School was an elusive thing for Hyoma.

At least he draws good pictures, as evident by the many pictures of people in his journal.

"What could've been so traumatic that he was willing to visit every lake he sees as a hobby?"

And they haven't been coincidences either. Unaware, yes, but clearly the motivation is there, hidden and influential. Though speculations are the only thing Hyoma could do for the time being. Asking the barista directly would get him nowhere via denial or amnesia.

"The unnatural tone of his white hair and pitch-black eyes... They don't lie."

That was his only guaranteed facts.

"Hills, huh... I wonder if it showed... The fact that I never asked for his name and that he had to introduce himself this late into the game..."

Hills? That was the barista's name? Well, it's fine. I was getting tired of calling him "the barista". No last name though. What a surprise.

"Hills... Hills... Could that have been his real name? Or the name he chose for himself at the time of devouring?"

He'll revisit this story for sure. Hills is, after all, the second case Hyoma has personally encountered that has been lost to the "bugs of eternal darkness".

"Actually, it's the first case. Both of his eyes are working."

Nevertheless, the story must be put on hold. For now, his concerns were on Teresa. Hills said she wanted to discuss something with Hyoma. On one hand, he hasn't a clue about the topic of discussion.

And on the other...

Pure, predictable course of actions guided by his pseudo-tainted hands.

"Thinking back..."

What comes next was an epiphany Hyoma would not soon forget.

" **There was one black strand of hair and one hint of red in his eyes."**

* * *

 **?, ?**

 **?**

 **Afternoon**

 **Cloudy**

 **...**

"Heads again..."

…

"Now it's tails again... This is the second session that this happened. What's going on?"

...

Demon eater's ship?

No.

Too fancy.

Different crew.

…

"First Mate Eizen!"

"First Mate Eizen" could not have referred to anyone else but the tall, intimidating blondie with an equally intimidating black coat and not-so-intimidating mismatching boots. The captain of the ship? Is that what they call this kind of person?

"Benwick. What is it?"

And the one called Benwick had... well, even without sufficient descriptions, you can't miss him. The man's got a bird atop his hat and that's all one really needs to know about him.

"Haven't you noticed? The clouds are starting to act up again."

"First Mate" Eizen was too busy with his coin flipping to really have the time to look up. Last he checked, the sun was out right after a massive storm had passed. So long as they had good weather for sailing, he didn't care much whether the sun was shining or the sky was angry. But that line of thinking was dangerous when the rest of the crew wasn't built as... sturdy as he was.

"The weather is of no hindrance. We continue onwards to the gate."

" **But sir... It's almost October."**

"..."

Well, that certainly struck Eizen speechless. He clutched onto that coin of his for dear life. If he really tried, there might not be a coin left, just a dirty handful of dust.

"October or not, we do what we always do. Unless it's a hurricane, we keep going towards the gate. No detours. No turning back. Got it?"

"Yes sir!"

That was the kind of response Benwick expected. It was pointless to sway Eizen's mind, especially when it came to crises. Besides, playing it safe wasn't the crew's game. They were pirates through and through, and if a little storm was enough to send them cowering the other direction, then what else were they good at? No good at sea, no good at land, no good with society. Just good-for-nothings. Everyone knew the risks involved. Hell, even when they found out about Eizen's "abnormality" and how he brings misfortune and how that misfortune was to blame for the lives of five of their men, the crew was unfazed. Perhaps they had thought, "better to die as a pirate than a slave".

But were things ever that simple?

"Could the cause lie in the fact that we're nearing the month of October? Would that be able to explain why the coin is acting the way it is?"

And from the looks of it, Eizen seems very superstitious. Not what you'd expect from a man with outward appearances like that. Though superstition is quite common among those who make a living out on the sea. But this is a bit excessive. It was coin flip after coin flip, reset, retry, not once skipping a beat. Was Eizen, perhaps, expecting the coin to always land on one side? That would explain why he's so obsessed with the fact that his coin is landing on both sides with similar frequency.

Normal people would be expecting those kinds of random results.

"Heads again..."

Guess he's not normal then.

What gave that away?

* * *

"He's not here anymore..."

"Oh, Hills! Are you looking for the red coat boy?"

"Madam Hostess."

That's quite the title. Or is Hills just a really polite "young" boy?

"The boy left a little over an hour ago with no food and no drinks in his belly. I'm worried he might pass out again. Did you need something from him?"

"No ma'am. I just came to get my belongings."

That was a half-lie.

"Right, right! To think you offered your room and the only bed there is to him. You really are quite something."

"He did help me out. I don't think I would be alive right now if it wasn't for him."

Oh, the sweet, bloody irony. If only he knew.

 **If only he knew.**

 **...**

" _ **If only he knew."**_

 _ **...**_

"Then I'll leave you to it! Bye for now, Hills!"

Hills could only nod. His last words were really something. Indeed, he could never quite get over it, the fact that a random, amnesiac traveler had come to his time of need. If his travel route didn't include Hellawes, well... Hills didn't want to think about it. He was given another chance. Thinking morbid thoughts would be a disservice to...to...

"Come to think of it, I've never asked for his name. I hope he didn't take my negligence personally. I never liked remembering names..."

He really didn't. But it wasn't for his sake, it was for the sake of those he meets. He didn't wish to slander their names by not trying hard enough to commit them to memory.

Now that he's done metaphorically punching himself, he could scan the room for his belongings, or what remains of the stuff he hastily brought with him during the raid. The room itself was quite clean. The bed was fixed, the furniture and decorations were in their rightful place...

Or not...

"Was this oil lamp on the ground when I was here last?"

It probably wasn't. That should be the first thing you notice. You don't even need to question it. The desk is there for the particular role of placing an oil lamp there. And so he knelt down and felt around the lamp, looking for anything else out of place.

"What is this... Water? Was he trying to heat the water because it's too cold?"

That couldn't be it. The hostess said Hyoma left the inn without so much as a drop of water or food for sustenance.

"If he wanted hot water, there's an excess downstairs."

Maybe.

But is that really what you should be focusing on, Mr. Barista? Isn't there a more important question at hand?

"I... I can't even see it. My hands feel wet, but I can't see the water..."

What happens next, nobody could've guessed. Unless you were hopelessly wandering the desert and minutes away from turning into human jelly, you would not be tempted to lick water off the floor of an inn that's currently acting as a makeshift hospital housing god knows how many unsanitary bodies, dead or alive, or barely alive.

"It's good..."

What was that?

"Could this be... a kind of Mushi then...? I've heard about it from other travelers, about how they encounter these kind of... "life bordering on the supernatural".

Well, it could be.

"Then... is Hyoma able to see them? The Mushi?"

* * *

"And there goes that ship. Alright people, back to work."

It hasn't been that long since the bombings, but clearly, it didn't stop Hellawes from functioning again, or at least, as functional as it gets considering a lot of the businesses were damaged or downright destroyed. The people working at the docks maintained a constant level of movement. They are, after all, what gives the town energy.

"What's confusing is what they're actually working on..."

Hyoma had finished his conversation with Teresa. It went just the way he expected, from Teresa's half-baked apologies, to her amazement at how effective he was at damage control, to ultimately offering him a job all the way down at the capital city.

Under just a day, maybe a day and a half, Hyoma managed to let loose all of Titania's sinful inhabitants, escaped to Hellawes, mentally destroy Teresa, thrown into a cell, bomb the town while being locked up, save Hellawes, and get a job. It's not every day such events can happen in such a short time span, especially when they are morally far apart. Like a criminal who had just escaped a maximum-security prison, changed their identities, and in the next few hours, find themselves in a white-collar job after saving a bunch of children in a burning building. Sure, Hyoma had to pay the price what with being comatose and all after visiting Hadlow Hollows, but he considered those 3 days of rest a bonus. He needed some extreme shuteye. Then again, no amount of shuteye was enough.

As soon as his conversation with Teresa was finished and he closed the door behind him, he was free to form the most sinister of slasher smiles. He simply had to cover his face when that happened, afraid that someone could've seen him like that. Of course, Hyoma made doubly sure no one was in his immediate proximity, so cracking up a smile like that should've been done worry-free.

Or maybe he wasn't trying to hide his smile from others, but from himself. Seeing himself like that only made Hyoma want to do it more.

 **It was addicting.**

Now, however, wasn't the time for that. He had finished praising himself at Teresa's office. There was no need to gloat any further, even if it was only gloating in his head.

"All these pack animals carrying sandbags... Are they preparing for a flood?"

It was all he was seeing as soon as he left the office building. Cold-oriented pack animals going towards and going away from the docks, transporting only one thing. Hyoma had spotted an individual, likely on his break considering the sandwich in his hand and made his way to him.

"Excuse me. What exactly is going on here?"

"Ain't it obvious? It's preparations for a flood. You new around here?"

Not really. Not a hint of obviousness. People preparing for a crisis should be... you know... more anxious?

"Should... only locals know about this or something?"

"If you consider locals as everyone else in the world, then yes. Were you born yesterday?"

How long did that take? 10, maybe 15 seconds? The conversation wasn't worth it. Hyoma was going to lose even more precious brain cells the longer he stays here. He had to leave quickly but he couldn't ignore what he had been looking at for quite some time. There was something on that sandwich he's eating. Perhaps it was the side effects of sleeping for so long and just now waking up, but those hardly call for hallucinations.

"You done here? If you don't work 'round these parts 'round these times, then better get a move on. Yer spoiling my lunch."

…

…

...

Oh no, good sir. I'm not spoiling your lunch. Others are already doing it for me.

"Enjoy your... lunch."

*Snrk*

But I won't tell you anything. We can add him as one of Hellawes' casualties. If I hadn't laughed it off back at Teresa's place, I wouldn't have been able to control myself now. I would've smiled at him, I would've laughed at him, though he wouldn't know who that laugh was directed to, I would've said much more ominous words all while patting him on the shoulders, wishing him a happy (hapless) farewell.

"Ah. That wouldn't be very nice, would it?~"

I had asked the sky that question. Not that it would answer. Oh, but the things traveling through that sky did. The Souls were abuzz sans the sound.

"You cruel lot."

Yes, they would've been ecstatic to see the alternative scenario.

…

…

…

No.

Not that one.

Nope. Hardly answered anything.

…

"I believe I can answer your questions. I heard that you were a traveler, so you might not be familiar with what's going on."

Finally.

"There's no startling revelations to be found here. We're simply preparing for a flood."

The sailor took one good look at Hyoma's red eyes, then spoke again.

"...But that's not what you're truly thinking about, is it? No, what you want to know is HOW we know there's a flood coming."

"Did I make it obvious what I was thinking about?"

"It's obvious."

His red eyes told the whole story. "Don't take me for a fool", the eyes told the sailor.

"That's no good. I'm not doing my job properly of hiding myself...~"

It would help if you didn't say that out loud, but I guess that was intentional.

"Anyway, the flood. If you've been traveling on the mainlands of the Gands and never near the coasts, then I'd understand why you've never heard about the floods."

Story time.

"It happens every 3 years, just like the Scarlet Night. In fact, tsunamis hit every piece of land in this hemisphere 7 to 10 hours after the Scarlet Night."

The older sailor had more patience than the last few ones Hyoma tried (and failed) to interact with.

"But even before the tsunami, there's an earthquake."

Then the order goes like this.

Scarlet Night Earthquake Tsunami.

"Did I get that right?"

"That's the whole of things."

It's not too strange. Earthquakes causing tsunamis is common.

A curled index finger to his chin.

"(But a red moon causing earthquakes?)"

That's the thing, see?

"When taken out of context, it's easy to dismiss that order of events as coincidence. But it's been happening since god knows how long..."

"And that's why you and your men think it's strange that I don't know anything about this."

"Unless you're less than 3 years old, then yes, you will be seen as strange if you've never heard about this. That's probably why those sailors weren't taking you seriously.

Honestly, it should be the other way around. Who can take any of you seriously with such a bizarre series of events? Well, considering the kinds of things Hyoma has seen, this shouldn't stand out. But thankfully, it does. It keeps the suspense.

"...Anything else?"

"A whole lot more. But we'd be standing here all day if I tell you the whole story. A visit to a library would do you good."

A library... It was those words that brought Hyoma's original intentions back to the surface. His finger pointed past the old sailor's shoulders and sought out its target, his eyes however, never once breaking contact.

"You wouldn't mind additional luggage on that last ship, right?"

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 29, YEAR 465**

 **...**

 **West Laban Tunnel, Westgand**

 **Entrance**

 **Early Morning**

 **Clear Skies**

 **...**

"Now, I don't care if you or I are demons or what SHE is, but we all need food and water regardless and right now, we have none of those things."

"No we don't. Now whose fault was that?"

"I'll take some of the blame. I didn't realize just how bad that storm threw us off-course until we spotted Vortigern a little early."

"And in your panic, slammed our only means of travel into the cliff face. Some sailor you are. Maybe your guild threw you under the bus not because of mere bad luck, but because you had no actual experience in the first place."

Ouch.

And this had been the conversations of the quaint quintuplets. The group had been woken up prematurely by the ungodly shrills of Magilou's stomach. Then the tensions emerged again, just as they had been before they camped out for the night. They were arguing as they went to sleep and now they're back to arguing the moment they woke up.

"And that's why Dyle and I are going to search for some sustenance and make up for our mistakes. Does that sound good to you, Velvet?"

Velvet hadn't the energy to even spare them a look. She'd already done that to Dyle and needless to say, the reptile probably had enough pictures of Velvet's demonic glares to fill up a photo album. If he was into that. However, Velvet did have enough to let out one last hostile sigh and that was all the men needed to hear.

"Oh, and take HIM with you."

And that muffled voice belonged to one Magilou, who had been face down on the ground with her hand clutching her stomach. She was the culprit behind the group's unruly wake-up call. Perhaps if they had been given a full night's rest, the arguments would've been softer. Magilou was a walking disaster, even when she genuinely didn't mean any harm. She had the nerve to drain their food supply and still bodily say, "I'm hungry!"? Where does all that food go because clearly, she's as flat as a-

Regardless, she gestured with her free hand towards the blonde contraband they took with them. The boy was as soulless as ever. He had been staring at the campfire that had since been put out. Velvet was only slightly jealous at his ability to tune out everything. Perks of a fleshy automaton.

Of course, as with automatons, this one must follow orders. The boy, as per Magilou's orders, slowly but surely, gathered with the rest of the boys. Slowly but surely. It was clear he needed something to eat and drink too.

"That sound alright to you, kid?"

He's not going to tell you anything, samurai. How dense can you be? You saw how talkative he was at the ship. No wait, you didn't. You were too busy destroying the ship with Dyle.

The two men just shrugged at his silence. They turned around the moment they started walking and sure enough, the boy was following them. That's confirmation enough.

As soon as she knew the three disappeared into the cave, Magilou pulled herself back up and sat down beside Velvet.

"What do you want?"

Velvet didn't hide her anger around Magilou. She was just as much to blame as their makeshift sailors. But her discomfort from being so close to Magilou quickly subsided when she noticed not a word escaped from the witch and had to look at her to see what was wrong.

There was not a trace of a jester's smile. Her eyes didn't laugh. Her eyebrows weren't raised with excitement. This wasn't the first time Velvet became a witness to Magilou's serious side. There was one time, if she recalled correctly, when Magilou displayed this kind of look when she was talking about someone named Melchior. But the face back then and this face... There was something fundamentally different. Perhaps, combined with her forlorn look was Magilou's fetal position. Whatever happened to the Magilou she's familiar with was gone in this very moment.

"We sure did a number on that town, huh Velvet?"

So that's what was different...

Magilou never changed her gaze. Remnants of the campfire became her sudden interest. Though she did finally put on a smile, however small it was. But even can't-read-subtleties-Velvet can detect not a hint of malice at that smile. It helped that only Magilou's mouth moved, but the rest of her, her position, her eyes, her eyebrows, her general look remain unchanged. That smile was anything but happy. It was like the sins of her past had finally caught up to her and she just now realized the weight of those sins.

Magilou didn't receive a response. She wasn't expecting any. Even without looking, she could feel the intensity of Velvet's inquisitive stares. She knew how out of character she was, but now was as good a time as any to let go of that character known as Magilou. That was the reason she sent Number Two with them, leaving only herself and Velvet.

"Did you finally run out of jokes? Don't worry. I'm sure you'll think of some when the group gets together. The more victims, the better for you."

That's the expected response. Velvet not getting the memo. Was she so intent on revenge that not even rendering a town, its people, and its economy useless affected her at all? Anything goes as long as she got to Loegres and do whatever she needs to do there.

In a way, Magilou was jealous of that steadfastness. She had a goal and she would do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. No detours, no skirting around ethics, no time to think inwardly about the consequences, nothing. But although the two weren't alike in their past, their paths are very similar, or WILL be similar with the way Velvet is.

It gnawed at Magilou's mind, knowing that. It shouldn't have, or at least, not as strongly as it should have. She knew. She just knew that a small spark was ignited within her during her conversations with Hyoma back at the cells. She knew nothing about him, but his eyes were enough to tell some semblance of a story. And yet, even as he is, Hyoma still paid some attention to Magilou's stories.

Was that it? With the way she is now, Magilou had nothing else to turn to but to tell stories. But to do that, she would need an audience. Was she perhaps, looking to save just a shred of Velvet's humanity, enough to listen to an old witch's tales?

"Rather than jokes, Velvet, let me tell you a story... or ten...! Or as many as it takes before they get back with enough food and water to honor us with a banquet!"

With the way she is now, Magilou was better off dying. But she was a living being and death was a natural thing to be scared of for living beings.

In some twisted fashion, this was her way of staving off the end for just a little longer.

* * *

 **Hellawes** **, Northgand**

 **Inn**

 **Night**

 **Clear Skies**

 **...**

"Not here..."

…

"Here?"

…

"Where...?"

The damage to Hellawes was significant, but it wasn't totally doomed. It may have been a major city in Northgand, but its design was simplistic enough. When you combined that with the thousands of exorcists and their doll tools, clean up was quick and the repairs were well underway, some of the smaller structures almost halfway finished. But when it comes to the casualties and injuries, progress couldn't have been slower. If it hadn't been for the red coat man, more people would've died while the exorcists were fumbling on their orders. Though even he couldn't do much about the supplies. Hellawes had a few demon attacks here and there, but it was relatively safe.

It was also cold.

But it was those kinds of thinking that nurtured lax attitudes. None of the first aid supplies had anything for burn injuries. And with the ports closing very soon, the only route left for the supplies was on land.

She knew all of that. Which is why she wasn't so surprised that almost every room she checked had at least 5 or more patients, some of which weren't even making progress in their health. It hadn't been her main agenda, but she supposed that a report about the unpreparedness of a major city would be in the works as soon as she finds what she's looking for.

"And what exactly are you looking for, Miss Gray?~"

Hoods offer no peripheral vision. She kept promising to herself someday to hone on her other senses, but these days, that time never comes up. Sooner or later, she will pay for that. For now though, the good ol' jolt should do.

"M-Ma'am...!"

Just like that.

"When I heard that a hooded figure was intruding on every room, I'd assume it was a no-good thief looking to exploit the injured. That wasn't you, was it?"

"W-Well... umm..."

"And you're a part of the Abbey too. What if word gets out that one of their own was taking from the injured?"

"Y-You wouldn't!"

So she confidently says, but her slow backpedaling in the long hallway says otherwise. Not that she had choice. The inn hostess kept inching closer and closer. Eventually there would be no more hallway left and she would have her back to the wall.

Like right now.

"..."

"..."

"(She can't harm me she can't harm me she can't harm me she can't—)"

"Of course not!~"

And any tension that was built throughout that long hallway was gone. The hostess went to town with Gray's oh-so adorable face. Cheeks rubbing cheeks, headpats, you name it.

"Why would you joke like that!?"

"Whether or not I'm joking is for you to decide. If you weren't skulking about in my inn, then it was. But if you were, then it's not. So? Which is it?"

"I was NOT skulking about! I was looking for... someone..."

That last word being extremely quiet for some reason. But a hostess as scary as this wouldn't have missed that detail.

"Oh? Could you be looking for Hills?~"

"Yes! ...Eh... Um... Ahem..."

Uh...

"Yes... I'm looking for him."

And just as quickly, that ferocious yes devolved into the meekest of yes. She was seriously digging herself deeper. The hostess could only resume the attack on Gray's cheeks.

"Of course you are!~"

"SShtooop it!"

Whatever Her Shyness wishes.

"Hills isn't in Hellawes anymore, hon. The coffeehouse was destroyed and its owner was killed in the chaos so perhaps Hills is looking for a new job."

He's looking for a new job? Really? So soon?

"Wasn't he injured? And why didn't you hire him then?"

"He was good with people. I wouldn't have missed the chance to hire him but he refused the offer."

"Hm..."

"Would you like to see his room? It's all cleaned up but perhaps you can find something that I missed. That is your specialty, yes?"

A simple nod sufficed.

* * *

"I should tell you ahead of time. It was Hills' room, but he actually used it to house a patient."

Gray was listening. If her peripheral vision was crippled because of her hood, she would make up for it with her ears.

"I'll leave you to it."

And the hostess knew once Gray was like this, there was no breaking her out of the trance. As soon as she left, Gray was unleashed.

"Hm..."

She was everywhere all at once. The cabinets, the drawers, the bathroom, the closet, the bed, under the bed. All things received an equal amount of investigation. But it wouldn't be her eyes or ears that found a vital clue.

*Sniff Sniff*

And once her nose latched onto that smell, she began to pace around the room again. She would not let the scent escape her. Once she's deduced that the smell must've been coming from the floor, she was on her knees resuming her sniffing. She was, without any sense of subtleties, like a dog. If the hostess was here, Gray might never be able to investigate in peace.

"Found it."

No wonder it took a detective this long to find it. The puddle was the size of a coin. Unlike the "detective" before her, Gray could actually see the puddle. A shiny, verdant green puddle.

"This is Kouki... And it looks like some of it seeped underground. How long was this here then?"

That was the wrong question to ask, Miss Detective. Try again.

"Who brought it here?"

Well, seeing as how the hostess quite literally said two people utilized this room, I'd assume it was one of those two people. What say you, detective? Too simple?

"It couldn't have been Hills... He can't even see the Mushi..."

* * *

" _Hills, come look."_

" _But... my break time..."_

" _Use it to get some fresh air."_

" _But it's cold..."_

" _Do I have to drag you out?"_

" _N-No ma'am..."_

 _She was quite a handful, that Gray girl. She seemed like the quiet type but the way she stormed the coffeehouse, ordered her coffee in record time, 2 seconds max, and demand that a boy named Hills to come join her, then leave just as quickly and chaotically, might say otherwise. Normally, after doing such uncharacteristic things, Gray would've been a blushing mess, and not because of the cold._

 _But today... Today was special._

 _Hills took one last look through the window, to make sure he wasn't following someone that had lost their mind. Gray was on a bench all on her lonesome, sipping away at the hot coffee. It would've stayed that way had Gray not used such a threatening voice on him. He didn't know her for long, but he knew enough that being threatening wasn't her talent... or at least wasn't supposed to be her talent._

 _Now he could use the excuse that it was snowing quite a bit and thus obstructed his vision to the point where he couldn't find Gray. But she was wearing a grey and black coat that stood out even amongst winter wear. So there goes that excuse._

" _Hills. One. More. Time."_

 _She hadn't even finished her sentence and Hills already found himself sitting beside her, not even bothering to clear his spot of snow. His arms were straight and his hands grasped at his knees. The slightest shout could spook him away. Heck, he was already shivering._

" _Here. You're cold."_

 _When I said he was shivering, I'm pretty sure I meant shivering from fright, not from the cold. Nice ignorance. Hills didn't refuse her coffee. It was half finished but it was still searing hot. Which means Gray downed what may as well have been lava. Were it not for his gloves, he might've been burned. He didn't drink it yet. He wanted to retain the warmth for a little longer._

" _So... Why are you so excited?"_

 _Hills was the one to initiate. A rarity._

" _Look up."_

 _And he looked up. He tried to ignore the snow pelting his eyes. Whatever it was that Gray wanted to show him better be worth the watery pain._

" _I see stars."_

" _Haha... Yes, Hills, there are stars."_

 _His eyebrows furrowed. Was she making fun of him too? What happened to Gray? Is this even Gray at all?_

" _But the moon will be absent for some time. The following nights will be the darkest this year. I thought this period would be the opportune time for you to see Mushi."_

 _So that's what this was about... So Hills took another look up._

" _..."_

 _He wished he could see them. Half the reason being to get Gray off his back. But pretending to see Mushi would only be followed by a string of lies, each progression harder to hide than the last lie. And Detective Gray will know immediately. So he shook his sideways._

" _Can't."_

 _Thus goes the hopeful glimmer in Gray's green eyes. All of that weather forecasting, all of those cases she worked overtime on to get some free time in conjunction with the moon's disappearance went to waste. She hadn't the courage to look at Hills' expression of disappointment and decided to retreat in her hood._

 _But she was extremely presumptuous. Hills displayed nothing of the sort._

" _I wouldn't have given the night sky even a fleeting glance if not for you. So I... I thought I could pay you back by... finding a way for you to see the Mushi."_

 _Her voice wouldn't have much luck reaching Hills at any other time. It was only under that sleepy, sound-absorbing snowy night sky and even then, Hills had to strain his ears for her words, some of which he couldn't even hear. But he had a pretty good idea of what she was talking about._

" _Then... Perhaps in my stead, you could appreciate the Mushi even moreso than before...?"_

 _And there it was. The light found its way back to Gray's verdant green eyes._

* * *

Gray won't forget that. It was on October 3. Luckily, it was an October 3 that came and went without natural and unnatural disasters happening. Regardless, she couldn't stop the smile forming on her face upon remembering that memory. She promised Hills (against his consent) that she will find a way for him to see the Mushi.

"... I haven't forgotten..."

The memory and the promise was strong enough that Gray hadn't even noticed she went off track with her investigation. And for a detective, that was significant.

"Then, if it wasn't Hills..."

Yes, yes. You're getting warmer

"Could it have been the one he was housing?"

But you didn't ask who it was, did you? Rookie mistake.

A literal lightbulb. That oil lamp was recently used.

* * *

To correct her rookie mistake, Gray (hesitantly) conversed with the Hostess. She revealed that the person Hills rented a room for was the same person that took temporary charge of Hellawes. The red coat man. Apparently he was the one who took care of Hills' injuries and that he was the reason Hills didn't succumb to his extreme burn injuries. Just thinking about HOW extreme those were... Gray didn't want to delve into that. So in return, Hills took care of him, who also became injured along the way. Where and how don't really matter right now. What matters is that the red coat man was the second person in that room with the Kouki Mushi.

What he intended to do with that Mushi... Gray had a inkling of an idea. The Kouki was boiled, turned into its steam form, or Akaruea and followed the Sanekui. The Akaruea were traveling southeast. The first landmark in that general direction starting from Hellawes is Vortigern, if one doesn't count a Class 4 Zone, but there's not that many that know the purpose of those areas.

Akaruea follows the Sanekui and the Sanekui follow the Fuki. That man is trying to locate sources of Fuki.

Regardless, the first order of business is finding out more about the red coat man. The Hostess said that Hills could've been looking for a job, but Gray's instinct tells her that Hills was chasing after the red coat man. If she could find him, she could find Hills. And to even get the first step...

"You are... Gray, yes? A member of one of the Abbey's branches for investigation?"

She had to consult the highest authority of Northgand. The praetor exorcist Teresa Linares.

"Yes."

"I apologize for not knowing the name of the branch you're working for. It's just..."

"There's no need. Our branch isn't really utilized much. Common investigations are usually carried out by the Orderlies that don't possess a Malakhim. Most of them aren't even that well-versed in investigations, but there's so many of them that they'll eventually find what they're looking for. The logic of the Abbey, at least, as per how they proceed with investigations. Besides, the Abbey has total control over this hemisphere that nothing strange really bypasses them."

"However, there are times when we do need you lot for the special investigations."

"Yes. But they are special for a reason. They're rare. That's why you needn't worry about forgetting our small section of the Abbey."

"Heh. Fair enough."

Seeing as how long Gray's explanation was, it almost seems like her intent of deflecting attention from her group was a farce for her true intention. Maybe she did want attention to her group after all. No one likes being the... "middle child" so to speak.

…

"The red coat man that you're looking for. His name is Hyoma Hokulei. At least, that's what it says on his coat's right sleeves. He never actually formally introduced himself, come to think of it."

Gray took the liberty to sit on one of the chairs. She was not a part of the exorcists, so she had no reason to treat Teresa as if she was her superior. Her notepad was being furiously scribbled on. Her eyes never averting from Teresa's.

"It's funny. I was the one that sent him to the cells and the next moment, I find him aiding the town I govern."

And that was when the writing stopped and a single brow was raised.

"You... put him to jail?"

Ah. She probably shouldn't have said that piece of information.

"I... had thought he was collaborating with an individual who was allied with an escaped demon."

A quick and quiet sigh escaped her. Teresa truly did jump the gun that time. She rarely acted in such a rash manner. In fact, she couldn't even recall the last time she did that. Some citizens acted out of line, yes, but she always gave them the benefit of the doubt. And in times when that trust was broken, Teresa justly put them away.

Of course, Teresa knew the reason she had locked Hyoma up. It was reason tied to uncontrollable emotions, but that little secret, she would keep to the grave.

But whether or not she hid that secret well was another matter. Gray hadn't moved her raised brow, her hand, or her line of sight. Then, without a word, looked at her notepad and began writing.

"Keep going."

Perhaps she hadn't meant to, but the fact that Gray no longer looked at Teresa scared her. Not only did that mean she couldn't the detective's face anymore, but she also left her sight on Teresa AFTER having told she had jailed someone up. Almost as if Gray didn't believe her, knew her true reason, and looked away in disgust.

No, no, that was overexaggerating it.

"Something wrong?"

Again without looking!

"N-No. Where were we..."

…

"According to the exorcists stationed in Faldies Ruins, Hills was carrying an unconscious Hyoma, having just came from Hadlow Hollows."

...

"He took the initiative and did what most experienced exorcists couldn't do. Keeping calm and taking the initiative in the midst of chaos. When I saw that, I recommended him a job in medicine and sent him to Loegres."

…

Gray couldn't interrupt Teresa at any parts of her story. Not even the parts where Teresa was expecting to be interrupted. Like the part where Hills and Hyoma supposedly came out from Hadlow Hollows. She already knew about the rumors of that cave. Of how some of the pack animals avoided that place or about the so-called "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons". That cave also had no Mushi, perhaps the biggest, suspicious thing about the cave. But she never found the reason why that is. And she also never saw the "rituals". The secrets eluded Gray to the point where she gave up and promised to come back another day.

"Is that everything?"

"That is all the information regarding Hyoma."

Gray put on the finishing touches on her notepad and stood up.

"Thank you for your time, Teresa Linares."

"You're welcome. But may I ask why you are investigating Hyoma?"

There were two reasons, one of which Gray couldn't divulge without embarrassing herself. If she told Teresa that the main reason she was looking for Hyoma was just to find another individual, then... well... She really didn't want the second coming of the Hostess. And although Teresa wasn't the teasing type, she was still a young, single woman. Even if Gray censored the name of the person she was truly chasing after, Teresa would still figure out who it was, considering only two names ever came up in the stories.

"It's... confidential..."

So she says, but Gray looking away and tucking herself inside her hood didn't look very convincing. And before Teresa even had a chance to comment about such reserve behavior, Gray left at the first sign of silence.

"What an odd girl. Is everyone at the investigation department this weird? No, no... Don't assume things. You did this before and you locked up an innocent man."

…

"An innocent man... I suppose that is the case, objectively speaking. But this is a matter of subjective bias. Perhaps I should've told her the real reason why I sent Hyoma to Loegres, two entire continents away from my sphere of influence. However, I shall withhold my tongue. She is the detective, not me."

But that didn't stop Teresa from rubbing her head as a clear sign of a headache. The memories flooded her consciousness.

The unsettling smile of the mouth...

...and the unsettling smiling of the eyes.

Teresa hopes to never see those _things_ again.


End file.
